Apply: NEW Creative Start Up Programme 2024

Break down all you’ve learnt so far and rebuild your creative business foundations, stronger than ever before! Dive into planning, branding and marketing with a supportive squad of peers and experienced mentors from our local arts and culture scene. Form a sustainable, manageable and powerful strategy for growth, while connecting with our creative community.

Making the shift from artist to business, but unsure where to go next?

Wondering how to make the income you need to survive - and even thrive?

Spending looots of time on social media, but not seeing results?

Feeling lost and overwhelmed? …Or maybe you know you just need to make time and space to review, refresh and plan your next steps, with an accountability gang by your side, and a tutor that totally GETS IT to guide you along the way!

This Spring we’ll be running a rebooted Creative Start Up Programme at TOSH to support you in doing just that. Our 7 session course will run from April – July, with focused classes led by wonderful local creatives, and a dedicated, free tutor 1-1 funded by our neighbours at Digital Skills Hub.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW

Course content:

Planning

• Solidify what you do and why, with a purpose statement
• Build your business plan
• How to market research
• Pricing - products, services and wholesale
• Identifying and reaching your ideal customer

Branding

• Review and define your brand values
• Branding guidelines, your visual identity
• Your website
• Tone of voice, consistency and professionalism
• Collaborations and opportunities to reinforce your brand

Marketing

• Creating content for your audience
• Where to focus (social media, newsletters, blogs and more)
• Sales targets and how to set them
• Making your marketing calendar 
• Using data to grow
• Time management and planning ahead, protecting your wellbeing

We’ll also support you with a fundamentals toolkit - contracts, licensing, invoices and insurance, as well as signposting funding opportunities, and guidance for HMRC Self Assessment and financial management.

Planning and Marketing with Joanne

Joanne Griffin of The Creative Flow Collective is an experienced mentor with over 16 years of creative commerce knowledge. A graduate of Surface Pattern Design, Joanne started her career as a Visual Merchandiser before moving from physical to digital retail, working with Not On the High Street for 7 years. 

Since 2017, Joanne has been working as a freelance creative, and now helps to raise up all kinds of independent businesses through 1-1 and group mentoring – assisting with growing sales, developing products, planning ahead and mastering mindset.

Branding with Sammy

Graphic designer Sammy Murphy is the Director behind design studio, Studio Glass, and Founder of independent BCP creative culture magazine, Pier Journal. With more than a decade of experience in the design industry, Sammy has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of brands, including The Times, BBC Music, Native Land, Hammerson, Yo! Sushi and Barclays. 

In her teaching, Sammy combines her understanding of clear, purposeful, contemporary and memorable branding with her affinity for and connection to the South Coast’s creative network.

Course Dates, Spring 2024:

Always Wednesdays, 6.45pm-9pm

10th April - Introduction

1st May - Planning with Joanne

15th May - Planning with Joanne

29th May - Branding with Sammy

12th June - Branding with Sammy

26th June - Marketing with Joanne

10th July - Marketing & Showcase Night

tbc Graduation Social

Open Evening: Weds 13th March, 6pm-8pm (Book here, free)

Application Deadline: Mon 25th March, Midnight

Course Fee:

£120 (payable in March-May £40 per month)

Including a free 1 hour 1-1 with a tutor of your choice worth £50+ 

(Funded by Digital Skills Hub, Boscombe)

We want our courses to be available to all - so please contact us if our fees might prevent you from being able to join us, so that we can seek to support you.

Course Attendees:

15 attendees selected from applications, based on creative business needs and current level, while creating a diverse business mix in the cohort. 

Attendees are encouraged to attend our free Cowork Club and Creative Hubs to take their learning further, and we will organise socials and follow ups to keep everyone in touch and accountable to each other in their creative journeys.

Location: TOSH, Gladstone Road, Boscombe BH7 6BG

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CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW

If you have any questions about the programme or the application process, please email Cora and Holly at contact@toshspace.co.uk and we will be very happy to help!

BONUS: Every application enters a raffle with the chance to win a FREE START UP WORKSPACE at TOSH for 2 months, worth £200!

‍"It was one of the best investments I made for myself - the programme and the space has been the catalyst that has allowed me to grow." Tanita Cox

"The course was brilliant for meeting other small business owners, not only for the networking and social side, but learning from each other too." Laura Basevi

Read more about our awesome Creative Start Up Programme graduates here!

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The fabulous graphics for our Start Up Programme have been created by local illustrator Jake Williams in collaboration with TOSH

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