Freelancers Make Theatre Work – WORKSHOPS
A series of practical, free digital workshops for Freelancers
March 2022
What are they?
Freelancers Make Theatre Work will be hosting a series of digital workshops exploring practical skills for Freelancers in the arts.
These FREE sessions are designed to give you skills to help you navigate your own practice as a freelancer in theatre. The workshops cover a range of topics and will be delivered by industry experts.
When are they?
There will be 5 workshops spread out during March 2022
All sessions will be held on Zoom.
Session times vary, so please check the individual information for each one.
Free to Access
All of our workshops in this series are free-to-access. We are also providing a few places on the workshops with a subsidy of £50 for those that would otherwise struggle to attend.
To apply for a subsidised place on the workshop register for a ticket to the event and follow the instructions on the booking form.
Networking for the Digital Age
March 15th 6.30-8.30pm
A free-to-access workshop for theatre freelancers to learn skills about networking in this digital age.
Some theatre professionals think that networking is all about who you know. That is a common misconception. Networking isn’t about who you know, it’s about who knows you! John Schwab has worked as an actor and director for over 25 years and has plenty of experience on both sides of the table.
He is a master networker and has used his networking skills to his advantage as an actor, director, producer and now a tech start-up entrepreneur with Curtain Call. John will guide you through the nerves of introducing yourself, instil a confidence of following up every meeting and give you the tips and tools you’ll need to become a master networker yourself. You will also be taken through networking in a digital environment and that all important tool…writing the perfect email.
This presentation will also talk about audition and meeting preparation technique, because believe it or not…that’s part of the networking process.
Legal Landscape for Freelancers
March 21st 6.30-8.30pm
A workshop to help freelancers understand the legal landscape they are working in, and to give them tools and tips to better understand the freelance legal position.
This workshop will include:
- The market for freelancers (and why it matters)
- Different statuses for artists and creatives (self-employed / worker / employee)
- Determining the right status
- Business structures for freelancers
- Contractual documents
- IR35 rules on freelance work
- Pitfalls to avoid
- Case studies
Sam Butler is a solicitor specialising in employment law, and has experience working with a full range of clients from international companies to SMEs, charities and government bodies, and individuals. Sam has also worked in-house for one of the UK’s leading universities and has experience of both litigation and employment policy work.
Sam provides a full employment service, advising on all of aspects of the employment relationship, including contract and policy review, litigation, corporate and HR support and ad-hoc queries.
Sam has served on various boards and in advisory positions including for University of Liverpool, University of Law, NUS Services Limited, and Salford City College Group and is able to bring his legal knowledge to a variety of governance and commercial environments
Mental Health Awareness for Creative Freelancers
March 22nd 6.30-8.30pm
A free-to-access workshop for theatre freelancers on mental health awareness.
Promoting positive mental health is essential. If we can reassure people that it really is ok not to be ok and engage in an open and honest dialogue around mental health, we can encourage individuals to reach out and seek support when needed.
This workshop was designed by Sarah McCaffrey, founder of Solas Mind, who has combined her extensive knowledge of the film and media with her experience as a qualified psychotherapist (MBACP) to offer bespoke mental health support and guidance and training counselling to productions and freelancers in the creative sector
What it covers
Delivered online via zoom, topics to be covered in this one-hour session include:
- Understanding mental health
- The continuum of mental health
- Resilience
- Recognising the signs someone is struggling
- Self-care tips
- Q and A
Individuals should leave the workshop with an understanding of the protective and risk factors that can affect someone’s mental health. They should also be able to recognise the signs of someone who is struggling, and feel confident to offer support.
Money, Taxes and Savings, Oh My!
March 23rd 6.30-8.30pm
A Workshop for theatre freelancers to help manage your money, taxes and savings all year-round.
Working in theatre means dealing with fluctuating income and the complexity of having multiple jobs. In this workshop, we’ll talk through the ways to manage your money, savings and how to think about taxes. We’ll discuss how to think through tax when you have multiple jobs and are paid differently for each. We’ll review common expenses and the best way to be confident when managing your money and sorting your taxes.
J.D. is the Founder & CEO of Finmo and a self-employment tax and finance expert. He has 20 years of experience in financial and professional services and has an MBA from MIT in the States. J.D. has worked with hundreds of sole traders, including theatre professionals, helping them improve their financial management and tax situations.
Networking for Introverts
March 27th 6.30-8.30pm
This is an anti-networking workshop.
A workshop that recognises that in an industry where extroversion is rewarded, there can be a pressure to adopt approaches to networking that don’t feel stimulating, meaningful or fulfilling for people who thrive around fewer people and in quieter spaces, or who simply feel socially awkward.
Together we will try to identify the environments and systems we are asked to navigate, the role of social capital in the industry and the ways in which faux intimacy are used to create proximity to power.
We will then explore tools for creating our own rules of engagement with the systems that exist, and explore ways of creating networking environments that work for us that will hopefully make the industry realise the rewards of starting from an introverted perspective.
There will be silence, lots of breaks and no pressure to sell ourselves.
Code of Conduct
– In the main space we will keep microphones on mute for those not speaking to ensure the highest sound quality.
– Inviting people into your home can be exposing, we respect that some people may prefer to keep their video off.
– This is an informal space so get comfy, look out of the window, change position or move around. You are very welcome to do so.
– If you need to leave for any reason at all please do so. We understand that different people have different things going on and understand that these may need to be prioritised.
– We understand that Zoom may be new to some attendees and will make space to ensure everyone feels confident with the technology where required.
– Attendees will not record or screenshot the meetings. Any recordings taken by the host will be for archive purposes and only feature those who have expressed permission to be recorded.
– If you do not want to talk in the session, it’s fine – Just being there with us is enough!
– If you are privileged because of gender, race, sexuality, class, ability or other factors we ask that you are mindful of this when engaging with others in the space. People join our events from a range of lived experiences and we believe it is important to make everyone equally welcome and valued.
Freelancers Make theatre Work acknowledges the whiteness in our spaces and our complicity in racist structures, and commits to being an actively anti-racist organisation and to diversifying our networks.
Where appropriate, asking questions around racism and anti-racism is encouraged, with an acknowledgment that we have a duty of care to the people of the global majority that are in the room.