Professional Development Speaker Series (PDSS) program: Should I do it? A guide to selecting opportunities, Saturday, September 29th, 12:00pm

Artists, especially emerging artists are routinely offered exhibitions, residencies and other opportunities that come with limited direct compensation for participation. The benefit that is almost always offered is one of exposure, promotion or standing. While it is true that you cannot pay rent or buy food with exposure, there must be some benefit to these types of opportunities in order for the system to exist, so what is it, and how does it work?

Different fields judge this exposure and experience in different ways; academia, institutions, collectors all look at an artists CV through a slightly different lens. We are opening the floor with local artists and professionals for a frank dialogue about the ins and outs of the value or cost of exhibiting, participating or performing in a field where margins on both sides of the ledger are often thin.

Should I do it? How does this advance my career in the direction I would like to be heading? What will the time commitment be? How does this opportunity weigh in the cost/benefit ratio for my practice? Is this appropriate for me at this time in my career? Am I being taken advantage of, or better yet, how can I fully take advantage of this opportunity?

You are invited to join Hamiltonian artists and for a limited gathering with local professionals for an afternoon lunch and open conversation about making sound professional decisions navigating a career. 

This PDSS will be at the Oculus Realty's Carriage House located at 2900 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20008


Panelists:
Mary Early - Artist and  Director of Hemphill. 
Christian Benefiel - Artist and Art Faculty.