Welcome to our first virtual SEA Summit! We hope you are able to find tips, resources, and hope through the sessions, chats, and mentoring. A few notes about the event: - This event is a combination of pre-recorded sessions and live engagement sessions over Zoom - Pre-recorded sessions will be available through the end of April - We’ll also be recording many of the industry chats and Q&A sessions during the live engagement days and will upload those throughout the end of March. Those too will be available through the end of April - The links to all the live engagement sessions will be uploaded prior to the 19th so that you can access those directly from the event website page sent to you in your email confirmation. If you have trouble accessing any links, please email us at info@selfemploymentinthearts.com Mentoring sessions do require advance sign-up and space is limited. Links to the calendly sign-up are available on the event website page. The link for your mentoring sessions will be provided in the confirmation email you receive after signing up. Mentoring sessions are 15 minutes. Mentors are available to answer career questions, review resumes and portfolios, talk about grad school, and more. There are also several live chats with guest speakers. Links to those live chats can also be found in the schedule on the website page. We want to thank all our sponsors for making this event possible including - The Coleman Foundation for believing in SEA from day one and then providing the support to help us adapt during this challenging year. - North Central College for being SEA’s home - The Illinois Arts Council, a state art agency and the John E. and Jeanne T. Hughes Charitable Foundation for their continued support of SEA - Our collegiate sponsors including DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center and Beloit College. - And collaborators including Columbia College Chicago, North Central College Enactus, and Future Founders. We would also like to thank the 70 plus creative and industry professionals and our Advisory Board Members who have volunteered their time to make this event possible. I would also like to say a special thank you to our intern, Hope Jirsa, whose internship ended last semester and has hung around to see this event through to the end. SEA’s mission is to help you succeed. Long after this Summit is done, please know that we are here to support you however we can. Other SEA Events & Resources: - We have FREE weekly coffee break sessions featuring special guests every Tuesday at 12 PM CST - Our website is full of resources from list of books to link to resources on all sorts of relevant topics. - Plus, we recently launched our membership platform, ArtCareer365 where you can access our video vault full of content and participate in monthly mentoring sessions. Membership starts at just $5 month. Our goal is to help more creatives like you succeed! Thanks for attending our first virtual SEA Summit. We wish you all the very best as you start your creative careers. Amy Rogers, SEA Director Brian Hanlon, SEA Executive Director Hope Jirsa, SEA Intern SEA Advisory Board Members Dr. Mark Hoelscher, Illinois State University Gary Vaughan, Guident Business Solutions & Lawrence University John McDavitt, McDavitt Design Stacey Earnest, Ace Metal Refinishers Inc. Brian Morello, Beloit College Andy Heise, University of Missouri Kansas City Dr. Greta Pope, PrivateMusicStudio.net Jim Jozwiak, Band for Today Jeffrey Ross, Ross Creative Works Carin Silkaitis, Columbia College Chicago Melissa Hennessy, Columbia College Chicago www.selfemploymentinthearts.com #2021SEAGradSummit

Graduate School and the Self-Employed Artist: Columbia College Chicago Panel Discussion Are you curious about graduate studies? Have you wondered if graduate school would provide you with a competitive edge in managing your career as an artist or entrepreneur? In this multidisciplinary graduate student panel you will find out more about the ins and outs of the creative graduate school experience—from deciding if graduate school is right for you to the impact of the advanced degree on building your artistic practice or business. Hear firsthand from current Columbia College Chicago students and recent alumni about their decision to return to school and how they’ve used this time to lay the foundation for their career after graduation. Panelists include: Chelsea Noelle Fetherli, Abbi Manoucheri, Cruel Valentine, and Patoya Marie Cobbs About the panelists: Patoya Marie Cobbs is the founder and CEO of Love Happy LLC, stationed in the greeting card industry, she creates products with words of sentiments and expressions for the LGBTQ community. Patoya (pronouns are she/her/hers) is a feminine lesbian who was born and raised in San Diego, CA- she recently relocated to Orland Park, IL. Patoya, received her Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a specialization in advertising and marketing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is currently working towards her Masters in Entrepreneurship at Columbia College Chicago. Patoya spent able time working and perfecting her skills as a greeting card artist and an independent business owner. She is acting writer, creative director, visionary, and overseer of the company. Chelsea Noelle Fetherlin is a Pittsburgh-native, feminist, and mixed media artist whose work is centered on women’s health. Her works include books, zines, photography, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting, printmaking, assemblage and other combinations of traditional and experimental techniques. Focusing on her experience as a woman living with chronic illness and brain injury, she educates and empowers others to take charge of their own health by embracing, researching, understanding, and normalizing talking about their lived experiences. Abbi Manoucheri is an actor, director, and playwright, who has worked with Willamette University Theatre Company, the Wyoming Theatre Festival, and the True Acting Institute and has experience in Devising, Japanese Noh and Kyogen theatre, Buto, and the Meisner and Michael Chekov acting techniques. Her writing credits include her plays Sincerely, Johanna, Lipstick: A Feminist Play, and her solo performance What, and Leave Showbusiness? which premiered in Salem, Oregon in 2017. She specializes in teaching the Meisner acting technique and has made a career of acting using this method and teaching it through her directing work and actor coaching across the United States. Known as “Chicago’s Own Community Chest”, Cruel Valentine is an award-winning, international burlesque entertainer, adult film performer, dominatrix, actor, dancer, writer, and artist. Valentine began performing the art of burlesque in 2007. Since then, they have spent the past several years performing their way across the nation and abroad, racking up multiple awards and honors. Valentine is an independent performer, producer, and teacher of burlesque, as well as an adult performer with The Lust Garden, featured on Pink Label. Most recently, their acclaimed erotic film, "Mirror, Mirror", won the award for Best Solo at the Unholy Fans Black Queer Porn festival, presented by Strapped Toronto. CruelValentine.com is your go-to for all things Valentine, including a line of pasties and other titillating burlesque accessories. In addition to touring and teaching privately, Valentine has worked as a board member with several Chicago performance art organizations, as well as offering business consulting services to alternative, creative, and adult companies. They hold a BA in musical theatre performance and will soon hold an MA in arts management from Columbia College Chicago, where they are also a teaching assistant. Valentine also holds a professional certificate in diversity & inclusion from Cornell University. Their teaching credits include various educational and speaking engagements both domestically and abroad, including workshops at the collegiate level at several of the nation's major universities, covering a wide range of topics including dance instruction, higher education, business, sexual health, sex worker rights, and more. With extensive experience in theatre, music, and dance, Cruel Valentine is a triple threat and then some, fusing multiple styles in their performances. A dedicated storyteller, they are never afraid to go there or to make a mess with their art. For booking, press, or other inquiries, please contact info@CruelValentine.com.

Crushing Legal Myths w/ Attorney, Elizabeth Russell Is it true? Or is it a myth? Test your understanding of arts law in this good-natured, interactive workshop. We'll crush the myths and shine a light on legal best practices. About Elizabeth Russell: Elizabeth T Russell helps businesses protect their most important assets by providing thoughtful, thorough counsel in the fields of copyright, trademark and digital business law. She also maintains a vibrant arts law practice and the author of Copyright Conversations: What Estate Planners Need to Know (Ruly Press 2019); Arts Law Conversations: A Surprisingly Readable Guide for Arts Entrepreneurs (Ruly Press 2014); and Art Law Conversations: A Surprisingly Readable Guide for Visual Artists (Ruly Press 2005). Arts Law Conversations was awarded a gold medal in the 2014 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards. Art Law Conversations earned a rating of "Essential" from the American Library Association's CHOICE Magazine and was included on CHOICE's 2006 list of Outstanding Academic Titles. Elizabeth is remarkably fluent in plain English.

You’ve got your first job! Congratulations! However, it isn’t exactly what you had hoped for. Don’t worry - your first job has a lot more to offer than you realize. During this panel we’ll discuss: - Finding ways to enjoy the job even if it isn’t what you had hoped for - Mental health strategies to manage the ups and downs of the job - Changing your perspective - how to focus on what the job has to offer you - Strategies for keeping yourself on the right track and moving towards the job you really want Live Q & A: Q&A: Friday, March 19th, 2021 @ 5 PM CST - Evan Price, Rebecca Reuland, Brian Witkowski Q&A: Sunday, March 21st, 2021 @ 1 PM CST - Amen Jafri, Brianna Hairlson, Brent Rolland About the Panelists: Artist Collective is the brainchild of CEO and artist manager extraordinaire Evan Price. After 15 years in the industry, he has had firsthand experience in every corner of industry. Reinforcing that knowledge with a Bachelors Degree in Music Business from Columbia College Chicago, he offers his expertise through online trainings and handcrafted consultations. His mindful approach encourages artists to invest in personal branding, creating real fan connection, while focusing on collaboration rather than competition. Living that sentiment, he invites his impressive network to share their expertise through Industry Chats, giving independent artists access they could have only dreamed of! Rebecca Reuland is an Internship and Career Advisor for the Career Center at Columbia College Chicago. She has a BFA in Photography from Columbia and MA in Photography from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. Rebecca worked for a well renowned architectural photography firm and interned at museums and archives in Chicago and London. She has been an arts educator for over a decade serving in various roles such as a teaching artist, mentor and most recently as an adjunct professor. She is also a board member of the (APA) American Photographic Artists. Brian Witkowski holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance, and his studies and career have taken him as far west as Hawaii and as far east as China with repertoire ranging from Gregorian Chant in cathedrals to musical theatre roles like Lancelot in Spamalot. He has taught at Rockford University, facilitated professional development seminars to teachers and artists through Arts Integration Solutions and other organizations, is regularly sought out as a speaker, and offers artists masterclasses and seminars in authenticity, financial empowerment, and leadership. He is the founder and CEO of The Lucrative Artist, where he provides business and leadership coaching to help artists position themselves to better have more of the authentic careers and lives they desire and deserve. Amen Jafri spent 10 years in communications and HR in the federal public service, before pivoting into film and television, most recently working at CPAC, APTN and Alibi Entertainment. Earlier this year she was also a mentor and coordinator for the DOC Institute's inaugural Short Film Lab. Her first film, The City That Fun Forgot?, was made without any priorexperience and it had a sold-out premiere in 2014, garnering local and national media coverage. Since then, her other works have been shortlisted for the TVO Short Doc Contest and screened for CBC, TVO, the American Documentary Film Festival and more. She is the creator of the seven-time nominated web series, The Secret Lives of Public Servants, and the director of Creatorland, a Wingd/Bell Media series on entrepreneurship. In 2018 she won for Best Directing in Non-Fiction at the IAWTV Awards and participated as a fellow in Hot Docs' Emerging Filmmaker Lab. Brianna Hairlson is an inspirational motivator, joy giver, and faith activator helping to inspire people to fully pursue God’s purpose for their lives. Working as a consultant for a large technology firm for 5 years, she became a full time entrepreneur when her job laid her off at 3 months pregnant. She is the creator of Bri’s Bump N’ Dance class, a nationally recognized dance class for expecting moms, also creating the 2018 Bump N’ Dance Tour, a 7 city tour across the United States hosting dance classes while 6 months pregnant. As an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, she loves helping women launch their businesses and love their lives, resulting in joyful profits. As the owner of Bri’s Dance Place, she provides classes for all ages, stages, and abilities while focusing on age appropriate choreography, music, and costuming. Brent Rolland graduated as valedictorian of the International Academy of Design and Technology with a BFA in Multimedia Production and Design in 2005. Since that year, Brent has grown as an artist with Fig Media as a DJ, audio tech, drummer/percussionist, and emcee/host. Brent has been a speaker at the SEA Conference in 2016 and 2017, and looks forward to being with students to support them with their next steps in their artistry, dreams, and careers.

We’ll dive deep into what you need to ace the interview from your resume and portfolio to interview strategies. Here’s a brief overview of what will be covered: Resume, portfolio, and interview strategies Tips on how to tailor your resume to industries Resources for creating the resume such as keyword utilization and verb usage Tips for the interview: how to tailor your answers to common interview questions Dos and don’ts, when to ask about salary/benefits Tips on negotiating the job This panel was recorded twice with two different sets of panelists. Each panel group will have their own Q&A session providing more flexibility for your schedule. Panelists: Zach Hartley, Hale Ekinci, and Saudia Davis Live Q & A: Friday, March 19th @ 4 PM CST About Zach Hartley: Zach Hartley is Blueprint Projects􏳁 founder and guiding hand. As a veteran agent, top􏳀class executive negotiator, and personable relationship builder, he specializes in getting clients where they need to be. His past wards have included stars such as Grand Funk Railroad, JOHNNYSWIM, Old Dominion, Shenandoah, Steve Miller Band, and Walker County, whilst Zach􏳁s work in the sporting community has led to partnerships with the Tennessee Titans, IndyCar, and Minor League Baseball. Further to that, his reputation as a deal maker has seen him broker lucrative contracts between artists and the likes of Macy􏳁s, HGTV, AMC, Samsung, T􏳀Mobile, and more. About Hale Ekinci: Hale Ekinci (b. 1984 in Karamursel, Turkey) is a multidisciplinary Turkish artist, designer, and educator based in Chicago. She received her MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts & Media at Columbia College Chicago and is currently an Associate Professor of Art & Design at North Central College. Focusing on personal history, cultural identity, gender politics, and craft traditions, her works vary from videos to embroidery paintings embellished with vibrant colors, patterns, and autobiographical relics. She was recently a Facebook Chicago Artist in Resident. Her work has been exhibited nationally at EXPO Chicago, One After 909, Woman Made Gallery, South Bend Museum of Art, Koehnline Museum of Art, St. Louis Artists’ Guild, and Queens College Art Center. Her videos have screened internationally including New York City, Berlin, Warsaw, and Jerusalem. She has completed residencies at ACRE, Jiwar Barcelona, Momentum Worldwide Berlin, Elsewhere Museum, and Chicago Artist Coalition. About Saudia Davis: Saudia Davis loves to connect the dots in business and socially with meaningful introductions in order to develop mutually beneficial outcomes. After 10 years of providing youth empowerment through SPAL, she brings her expertise and wisdom to the Center for Creative Entrepreneurship. Saudia spent the past 3 years actively fulfilling the creative consultancy of a request from the Smarty Pants Are Leaders partner school, Catalyst Circle Rock, to lead and create the VISION for the Kehrein Center for the Arts. (https://www.kehreincenter.com) She can proudly share that the successful team effort to rebuild the 1000 seat theatre renovation in Chicago's West Side Austin neighborhood, opened to the public in May 2019. After sitting for 45 years vacant, it now hosts concerts, the City of Chicago launch of INVEST - SOUTH/WEST, public performances, film screenings and graduated the first Catalyst Circle Rock scholars in June. Saudia is passionate, curious, a doer, resourceful and a powerful connector!

We’ll dive deep into what you need to ace the interview from your resume and portfolio to interview strategies. Here’s a brief overview of what will be covered: - Resume, portfolio, and interview strategies - Tips on how to tailor your resume to industries - Resources for creating the resume such as keyword utilization and verb usage - Tips for the interview: how to tailor your answers to common interview questions - Dos and don’ts, when to ask about salary/benefits - Tips on negotiating the job Panelists: Melissa Hennessy, Laura Daniels, Kay Gravesande, and Maurice Hissink Live Q & A: Sunday, March 21st @ 12 PM CST About the Panelists: Laura Daniels is the Assistant Director of Internships and Career Advising in the Career Center at Columbia College Chicago. In her role, Laura manages the centralized internship program for the college. This includes supervising a team of six Internship and Career Advisors, advising cinema and television students and developing career programming and initiatives. Previously, she was the External Relations Coordinator for the Interactive Arts and Media Department at Columbia, where she increased industry relations and student participation in conferences such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and SXSW in Austin. Prior to coming to Columbia, Laura held a variety of positions in the television industry, including working for NBC Universal as an NBC Page, for A&E as a coordinator in development, and as an Associate Producer for the unscripted series, My Strange Addiction. KaMariea (Kay) Gravesande is on a mission to empower students and professionals in their careers. As a first generation college grad, she learned how to navigate the business world, expanding her network while becoming a successful speaker. She uses her HR industry expertise to guide her clients through the labyrinth of career mapping and business etiquette, while teaching them how to achieve long term goals. With over a decade of experience in Corporate America, Kay shares her real life experience through interactive learning workshops to connect with her audience. In her free time, you can find her gaming with her husband, or on the baseball field cheering on her two little sluggers. Melissa Hennessy is no stranger to helping artists market themselves. After obtaining her BFA from RIT, she continued her education as an assistant in NYC before shooting professionally as a commercial food and product photographer. Realizing her love for business and marketing, she later turned to Artist Management. Putting into practice her creative and business skills, she represented a roster of nationally recognized & award-winning photographers which included among them Walt Denson, Chris Crisman, Jason Lindsey, Andrew Reilly, and Ben Fink. Melissa has worked with agencies, design firms, magazines, and corporations across the country, marketing artists’ work, estimating and negotiating their projects, and orchestrating the productions. Melissa now works with students and alumni in a variety of visual disciplines at Columbia College Chicago, and as a freelance consultant to artists wishing to advance their brand and business growth. She enjoys helping artists elevate the way their work is perceived in a manner that is authentic to their artistic vision and reflective of their desired career outcomes. Maurice Hissink specializes in online music promotion using YouTube and Soundcloud. Aside from those services, he helps musicians with branding and consulting. Maurice is based in the Netherlands.

Panel: Is Grad School Right for Me?: During the pandemic, many students are re-thinking grad school. We’ll dive into what you should take into consideration when looking at your options for post undergrad. - What are the different options for grad school - full time vs. part time, online options, night school - How is grad school different from undergrad - how is it the same? - What are the benefits of going to grad school? - Are there certain fields where a graduate degree is necessary? How can you finance grad school? Panelists: Carin Silkaitis (Columbia College Chicago), Gary Beckman (North Carolina State University), Francesca Leo (flutist / educator), Dianne Welsh (University of North Carolina Greensboro), and Kelly Schmader (Columbia College Chicago) Live Q & A: Saturday, March 20th @ 1 PM CST Bios: DIANNE H.B. WELSH is the Hayes Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship and Founding Director of the Entrepreneurship Programs at The University of North Carolina Greensboro. Dianne has held three endowed chair and started three entrepreneurship programs/centers. She is the 2015 Fulbright-Hall Distinguished Chair for Entrepreneurship for Central Europe. She has visited or lectured in 50 plus countries, including the University of Venda, South Africa where she trained 30 professors in entrepreneurship. Dr. Welsh won the Legacy Award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers and the Barbara Hollander Award for Lifetime Contributions to Family Business from the Family Firm Institute. Carin Silkaitis is the Allen and Lynn Turner Chair of the Theatre Department at Columbia College Chicago. Theatre credits include: Mama in A SHAYNA MAIDEL (TimeLine), Mother/Attorney in MACHINAL & Me in I DO TODAY (Greenhouse), Holly in VISITING (Artemisia), Chloe in LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART (Eclipse), Doctor Manor in SONS OF THE PROPHET & Mama/Sherry/Vera in DISTRACTED (u/s ATC), Queen Margaret in RICHARD III (Oak Park), Izzy in RABBIT HOLE (u/s Goodman), Dean Wreen in SEVEN HOMELESS MAMMOTHS WANDER NEW ENGLAND (Theater Wit). TV/Film credits include: Co-Stars on CHICAGO FIRE and RED LINE, Nurse in the SAG Feature UNEXPECTED, Joy in BEING HERE, Kathy in PRECIOUS THINGS, and Maggie in BLOOD AND WATER as well as numerous commercial, industrial, and voiceover credits. Carin is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf, and she received her MFA from the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University. Carin is member of AEA, and she is represented by Gray Talent Group. Kelly Schmader is the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions for the School of Graduate Studies at Columbia College Chicago, as well as a part-time instructor for the Creative Communities 200 level course, Chicago Performs: the Art of Drag. Schmader is a 2019 graduate of Columbia's Master of Arts Management program. She is the director of admissions for the Master of Arts Management, Entrepreneurship for Creatives MA, Civic Media MA, Interaction Design MA, Strategic Communication MA, and the Combined Degree BA|MA programs at Columbia. Francesca Leo is a cutting edge flutist, educator, and performing arts health advocate. She has appeared as a soloist with the Manhattan School of Music Chamber Sinfonia and the New Albany Symphony Orchestra and has performed internationally in Italy and France. Francesca is the founder of http://www.playingwithoutpain.com, an award-winning interactive website and social media platform committed to connecting musicians with resources to treat and prevent performance-related injuries and maintain good mental health. She has presented her research at various institutions and events including the National Flute Association Convention, the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium, among others. Francesca currently serves on the board of the National Flute Association Performance Health Care Committee and the Performing Arts Medicine Association Young Professionals Committee and is the chair of the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium Wellness Committee. She has recently completed a certification in the Essentials of Performing Arts Medicine through the Performing Arts Medicine Association and is currently pursuing a certification as a Body Mapping Educator. She holds a masters degree in flute performance from the Manhattan School of Music and a bachelors degree from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Gary D. Beckman is Director of Entrepreneurial Studies in the Arts where he developed and administers the nation’s first and largest campus-wide Arts Entrepreneurship Minor. Before arriving at NC State, he developed the nation’s first Music Entrepreneurship Minor at the University of South Carolina’s School of Music. In addition to recently being honored with the naming of the Society for Arts Entrepreneurship Education’s research impact award, he also co-founded and co-edited the world’s first academic journal on arts entrepreneurship education (societyaae.org).

In this pre-recorded presentation, Assistant Directors of Graduate Admissions David Marts and Kelly Schmader discuss the common reasons that students return to school for their graduate degree. They also explore the ways a Columbia education addresses these needs and helps students reach their future goals. Watch the session to learn more, and reach out to Kelly or David with any questions at gradstudy@colum.edu.

Graduation and starting off on your career journey can seem overwhelming under normal circumstances. Throw in a pandemic, and well….here we are. During this panel we’ll discuss: - Mentally preparing for the shift from student to professional - Mentally preparing for the vision you had vs. the reality - Strategies for managing the first year of post college life Panelists: Molly Miklosz, Jennifer Barrett, Nicole Anderson, and Elizabeth Kilpatrick Live Q & A: Saturday, March 20th @ 10 AM CST About the panelists: Mezzo-Soprano Jennifer L. Barrett is proud to be a part of the Chicago music community, using her versatile, flexible instrument in a variety of settings. Highlights of the 2019-20 season include the United States debut of John Plant’s I will fly like a bird, with Thompson Street Opera. Jennifer holds a BA in Vocal Music Education from North Central College, and a MA in Vocal Pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University. When not on stage, she is a professor of Applied Classical and Musical Theater Voice at North Central College. She serves as the Soprano/Alto section leader at First United Methodist Church of LaGrange, and a vocal health consultant through Chicago and the suburbs. Nicole Anderson is a career coach driven by her passion for helping people uplevel their careers. With a decade of experience in college admissions, career services, and early careers recruiting, her experience draws from a variety of spaces to enable equitable opportunity in education and careers. She previously managed the career services office for the College of Fine Arts at UT Austin and currently recruits interns for a Fortune 50 company. Nicole is also an abstract painter, an Artist INC Fellow, and holds a B.F.A. in Studio Art from UNC Charlotte. Elizabeth Kilpatrick is active as music teacher, an arts administrator, and a violinist in Richmond, VA. She currently serves as the Administrative Coordinator for the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia in addition to her teaching positions at the Greater Richmond School of Music, The Music Tree, and her private violin and piano studio. Elizabeth is passionate about teaching and sharing the benefits of music with her students. She strongly believes in the importance of music and the arts in the lives of all people. In addition to her teaching positions, Elizabeth serves as an auxiliary violinist for the Richmond Symphony and is a regular gig violinist in Richmond, VA. Elizabeth completed her Bachelor's degree in Violin Performance and Arts Administration and Management at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas, Austin in 2020. She has studied with the Suzuki Association of the Americas to receive training in the first three Suzuki method books. Molly Miklosz is an artist based out of Western Springs, IL. She graduated from Concordia University Chicago in 2019 with a BA in Visual Arts Education and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, Molly spent the next year applying for a variety of art based jobs, and subbed in classrooms. In January of 2020, she interviewed and was accepted for a position at a new charter high school in Chicago's loop, called Intrinsic Monroe. This has been her first official year of teaching. Being fully remote since September, she has learned a lot about teaching her own content, learning, and creating in a pandemic. For the past 5 years, Molly has also worked as an architectural docent for Wendella Sightseeing (one of Chicago's finest boat tour companies). During the pandemic, she launched a personal creative campaign to draw each day. Molly also launched a very successful fundraiser for a local homeless shelter by drawing people's homes, with all the proceeds going to the shelter. Molly states, "creating during a pandemic is hard, but it really has the power to save others and oneself. If anything, 2020 and COVID have taught me just that." Molly also attended the SEA Conference while a student at Concordia University.

Your creative skills are of value to your future employers. During this session we will discuss how to translate those skills to the job skills employers are seeking including: - Soft skills and creative skills, where they meet - How to highlight your creative skills in your resume - How to talk about your creative skills in the same language as what your employer is seeking Panelists: Melissa Hennessy, Denise Laurin-Donatelle, and Lidia Varesco Racoma Moderator: Amy Rogers, SEA Director Live Q&A Date 2: Sunday, March 21st @ 2 PM CST About the Panelists: Melissa Hennessy is no stranger to helping artists market themselves. After obtaining her BFA from RIT, she continued her education as an assistant in NYC before shooting professionally as a commercial food and product photographer. Realizing her love for business and marketing, she later turned to Artist Management. Putting into practice her creative and business skills, she represented a roster of nationally recognized & award-winning photographers which included among them Walt Denson, Chris Crisman, Jason Lindsey, Andrew Reilly, and Ben Fink. Melissa has worked with agencies, design firms, magazines, and corporations across the country, marketing artists’ work, estimating and negotiating their projects, and orchestrating the productions. Melissa now works with students and alumni in a variety of visual disciplines at Columbia College Chicago, and as a freelance consultant to artists wishing to advance their brand and business growth. She enjoys helping artists elevate the way their work is perceived in a manner that is authentic to their artistic vision and reflective of their desired career outcomes. Denise Laurin-Donatelle is an artist, art educator, mentor and art historian. She has exhibited widely throughout the Chicago area at Triangle Gallery, The Fine Arts Building Gallery, Chicago Art Open, The Chicago Cultural Center, and many other locations. In 2009, she relocated to New York City, returning to Illinois in 2014. While in New York, she exhibited her work at a number of venues and led a group show under the sponsorship of the Museum of Modern Art. A constant in Denise’s work is the emphasis on the figure, particularly that of the dancer, to express the universal idea of moving from darkness into light. Her media include graphite, charcoal, pastel, oil painting, gold leaf, collage and digital. Through her business, Living Creatively, she teaches academic realism in drawing and painting. She believes art is integral to life and guides her students to greater skill and sense of accomplishment through art. In addition to art instruction, Denise provides art presentations and mentoring through the SEA Satira platform. Prior to her fine art practice, she managed a graphic design business and won numerous local and national awards for her work. She was honored as “Woman of the Year” by Women in Design/Chicago for her excellence in design and for the example she set for other designers with her approach to work/life balance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in studio art and art history, and a Masters of Arts in art history from Northern Illinois University. For more info: www.livingcreatively.info Since 2000, Lidia Varesco Racoma of Lidia Varesco Design has been empowering organizations to make a change through branding and marketing design. With over two decades of experience, Lidia is known not only for her ability to express an organization’s mission—but also for her friendly, approachable working style. She collaborates with associations, nonprofits, higher education and small businesses to create strategic, content-driven design. Lidia blogs about branding and marketing for her own blog as well as small business blogs and leads in-person branding and marketing workshops for local businesses and nonprofits. She has been featured in HOW Magazine and various design and small business books.

Your creative skills are of value to your future employers. During this session we will discuss: How to translate those skills to the job skills employers are seeking. Soft skills and creative skills, where they meet How to highlight your creative skills in your resume How to talk about your creative skills in the same language as what your employer is seeking Panelists: Amen Jafri, Laura Daniels, and Mari Reisberg Live Q & A: Saturday, March 20th @ 2 PM CST About the panelists: Amen Jafri spent 10 years in communications and HR in the federal public service, before pivoting into film and television, most recently working at CPAC, APTN and Alibi Entertainment. Earlier this year she was also a mentor and coordinator for the DOC Institute's inaugural Short Film Lab. Her first film, The City That Fun Forgot?, was made without any priorexperience and it had a sold-out premiere in 2014, garnering local and national media coverage. Since then, her other works have been shortlisted for the TVO Short Doc Contest and screened for CBC, TVO, the American Documentary Film Festival and more. She is the creator of the seven-time nominated web series, The Secret Lives of Public Servants, and the director of Creatorland, a Wingd/Bell Media series on entrepreneurship. In 2018 she won for Best Directing in Non-Fiction at the IAWTV Awards and participated as a fellow in Hot Docs' Emerging Filmmaker Lab. Laura Daniels is the Assistant Director of Internships and Career Advising in the Career Center at Columbia College Chicago. In her role, Laura manages the centralized internship program for the college. This includes supervising a team of six Internship and Career Advisors, advising cinema and television students and developing career programming and initiatives. Previously, she was the External Relations Coordinator for the Interactive Arts and Media Department at Columbia, where she increased industry relations and student participation in conferences such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and SXSW in Austin. Prior to coming to Columbia, Laura held a variety of positions in the television industry, including working for NBC Universal as an NBC Page, for A&E as a coordinator in development, and as an Associate Producer for the unscripted series, My Strange Addition. Mari Reisberg, LPC is a therapist, coach, performer, podcast host of the Sustaining Creativity Podcast and creativity cultivator. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Hartford’s Hartt School and an MA in Somatic Counseling Psychology, Dance/Movement Therapy, from Naropa University. She has shared her Sustaining Creativity work with performers at universities across the country and has shared her somatic psychology expertise in the acting book Roadblocks in Acting by Rob Roznowski. She has worked with performers and non-performers in 1:1 coaching programs. She has designed and executed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy programs for hospital settings, clinics and had the privilege of supporting therapy interns in an addiction recovery facility.

Panel: The Wait for the Right Job: Is that first job not the dream job you were hoping for? During this panel discussion we’ll discuss how to manage while you wait for the right job opportunity. We’ll discuss: - What you can do to keep yourself on the right path - How to fulfill your need to be creative - How to manage your mental health during the wait - How utilize your non dream job to grow your skills while you wait - How to keep the big picture in perspective when the wait seems like it will never end Panelists: Linnette Harrigan, Lindsey Hastings, and Margi Cole Live Q & A: Saturday, March 20th @ 3 PM CST About the panelists: Margi Cole founder and Artistic Director of The Dance COLEctive, received a BA in dance from Columbia College Chicago and an MFA in dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has taught for several educational and professional organizations nationally and internationally and performed with many well-known choreographers and companies. Margi has received two Illinois Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowships. She has served as a Chicago Dancemakers Forum Consortium Member, on grant panels, in public forums and is on the board of See Chicago Dance. Cole is on faculty at Columbia College Chicago, where she has served as a Lecturer and Associate Chair and is currently the Program Manager of the Dance Center Presenting Series. Linnette Harrigan is founder/CEO and a music supervisor for her own agency, Linnette Harrigan Media Inc. Based in New York City, the agency is a specialist in music industry and helps to train, promote and represent emerging music artists, songwriters and musicians from all over the world. The agency has also provided marketing and placement of original and licensed music for television, film, video games, and advertisements for the past 9 years. Linnette Harrigan is also a speaker. Most recent appearances include Canadian Music Conferences (CMW). Linnette is also Winner of the 2020 Media Innovator Awards for Music Business (USA). Born in Little Rock, AR – Lindsey Hastings started out as a musician playing in local venues throughout high school. It was at Verizon Arena as a summer intern when she got “the bug” and never turned back. At 19 years old she and a committee of college students pitched the idea of a music festival for the students at the University of Arkansas. That spring the festival sold out and still continues today. During her high school and college years she aspired to give back to her communities through music. She was stage manager at the local festival, Riverfest, in Little Rock. She also helped start FayFest, a concert and 5k, in Fayetteville, AR to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. After graduating with a degree in economics and finance, Hastings came home to Paradigm where she had interned the summer before her senior year. She has worked in many facets of the company – beginning in ticket counts and growing into a utility player in the Nashville office. Like so many others, Hastings had to pivot out of touring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now working with Marcie Allen’s Anzie Blue as well as Pozmantier Entertainment Consulting.