Community Arts North West (CAN) supports unemployed artists to take their next steps.
The Covid-19 crisis has been devastating for the arts, particularly for freelance artists. It has been especially hard for artists from under-represented groups. Since CAN’s launch in 1978, they’ve supported marginalised artists to develop successful careers through mentoring, artist-in-residencies and training. This year, CAN launched training (funded by the European Social Fund) under the banner of CAN Do Creatives, and the scheme enters its second phase this week.
CAN Do Creatives is aimed at artists and creatives from culturally-diverse backgrounds, often under-represented in Greater Manchester’s creative economy.
The project supports artists to build their professional skills, knowledge and network and to grow their profile. CAN Do Creatives will enable artists to successfully compete for employment opportunities and commissions available to Greater Manchester’s creative and cultural industries. The training includes support from expert marketing and social media professionals who are working with artists to grow their confidence and skills to reach their target audiences, including the development of a stronger digital profile.
They’ve already seen, in Phase One, artists developing their own supportive network, reducing the isolation that’s been such a difficult consequence of Covid-19. There are currently 21 artists enrolled on the next phase of programme and CAN are very excited to see how their work develops over the next few months.
Find out more at www.can.uk.com and follow them on Twitter @comartsnw
