BUSINESS SCHOOL TO TEACH KNOW-HOW TO ARTISTS

What a fabulous idea! And this leaves the door wide open for the rest of the country to follow suit and not only in the "artistic" arena but through every aspect of life. How many people in other fields such as IT, Bookkeeping, Retail shops and restuarants, HR etc are hugely passionate about what it is that they do, but do no have a 'cooking clue' about how a business should be run! This opens up an abundance of opportunity! I'm certainly hoing to have a look and see how I can incorporate this into what it is that I want to do - I urge you all to follow.

Business school to teach know-how to artists
02 July 2007 at 04h00

Art as a business is foreign to many artists, but business skills are essential if artists are to reap the fruits of their labours, says Elaine Rumboll, director of executive education at the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB), and an artist in her own right.

The GSB will present a new programme in association with the Observatory Community Centre, starting in August, to assist artists to develop the business acumen needed to step into their rightful commercial space - without compromising their artistic integrity. According to Rumboll, this kind of programme is long overdue. "From a business perspective, a country without deep sustainable creativity and innovation is a country of shallow capacity.

"Business needs the arts to keep it supplied with new ideas. And the arts need business to ensure that what they do is properly recognised and sustainable." Rumboll says the 13-week process will be a practical investment for artists, who will be better equipped to continue working creatively without being vulnerable to exploitation. To help ensure optimal learning, delegates will have mentors who are successful artists in their particular discipline.

Successful applicants will be charged R2 500, which will be donated to the Observatory Community Centre - which is where the course will be presented. Rumboll says the choice of Observatory as the location for running the course is not accidental. "Observatory is seen by many to be a stronghold for students from UCT and a place where many South African artists were nurtured," she says. "Pieter Dirk Uys went to the Observatory school that is now the community centre, and Freshlyground also had their beginnings in Obs.

"Isla Haddow-Flood, chairman of the Observatory Community Centre executive committee, says the GSB input comes at an apt time in the history of the centre. Says Haddow-Flood: "The primary intention of the committee is to provide a wider spectrum of useful opportunities for residents to empower themselves and improve their lives."

For details on the programme phone 021 406 1380.