Launched in 2017, National Gallery of the Cayman Islands’ (NGCI) Business of Art programme offers professional development and career-skills for artists as they seek to build and maintain their creative business. Since that time, workshops have been offered on a range of topics from how artists initially develop a presence in the art world through to learning to sell their work directly to the public or finding a suitable gallery that will arrange sales and commissions.

In response NGCI’s recent COVID-19 Creative Impact Survey which gathered data on the impact of the pandemic on Cayman’s creative community, Business of Art (BoA) now returns as an ongoing digital series of professional development panels, lectures and workshops. From social media marketing to website development and legal requirements for small businesses, these sessions are designed to help creatives expand and improve their respective trades in the post-pandemic climate.

In July, the programme opens with a series of workshops exploring the ‘art’ of Sales, led by international expert Joy Baldridge. This will be followed by a series on marketing and social media in August, and business development in September. All webinars are free and will be presented via Zoom.

No stranger to the Cayman Islands, inaugural BoA speaker Joy Baldridge is president of Baldridge Seminars International, a sales training organization who’s goal is individuals and companies increase productivity and revenue while reducing frustration and stress. She is author of the Fast Forward MBA in Selling and Pure Joy. The three-part series is as follows:

Sales 101

Tuesday, 7 July at 7pm

NGCI introduces the Business of Art programme before leading into an innovative and introductory seminar for anyone who wants to find sales success. The thought of selling your art can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be!

Win-Win Negotiation

Tuesday, 21 July at 7pm

Build confidence and reduce any apprehension or fear regarding the negotiation process. A great session for artists and creatives hoping to build their client skills.

Success with Less Stress

Tuesday, 4 August at 7pm

Learn what causes the stress that you frequently experience at work and in life, and how to alleviate it.

BoA is part of a NGCI’s wider Artist COVID-19 Relief Programme, that has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing, and the private sector and which includes also includes Art Relief Grants. For more information about the Business of Art series or the Artist COVID-19 Relief Programme contact [email protected] or visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky. Register for the programme to [email protected].

About the Speaker

Joy Baldridge, CPC, CSP, CVP, is president of Baldridge Seminars International a sales training organization with the sole goal of helping the best to become even better at increasing productivity and revenue while reducing frustration and stress. In every Sales position ever held, Joy was ranked #1. She shares her innovative Golden Nuggets on how to increase sales. Author of the Fast Forward MBA in Selling and Pure Joy! Her first speaking engagement was at The White House at age 19. How? By cold calling the President.

About the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

Established in 1996, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) is the country’s leading visual arts museum and education centre, charged with promoting and encouraging the appreciation and practice of the visual arts in the Cayman Islands. This mission is achieved through exhibitions, education/outreach programmes, school tours, community festivals, and ongoing research projects. Holding up to six exhibitions annually at our central exhibition space, and satellite venues around Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, the curatorial team strives to create a balance between exhibitions of quality Caymanian artwork with art from further afield. This is achieved by working with a broad cross-section of artists and ranging from site-specific work to more traditional gallery-based projects. NGCI is at the forefront of visual arts education in the Cayman Islands hosting 25+ education and outreach programmes monthly, across all three islands. These programmes aim to capture every age group in our community from the youngest pre-schoolers to senior citizens, in addition to marginalized members of our community. They combine arts education with enriching creative experiences which foster creativity, help build self-esteem, and provide effective and invaluable explorations of culture, cultural heritage, national identity and community values.