By: Edna Landau
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The New Year presents us with a wonderful opportunity to take stock of our individual goals and priorities and address them with renewed vigor and dedication. For many of us, these may include some of the following:
- creating a website or regularly updating an existing one
- taking a new set of professional photographs
- ordering business cards
- launching a Kickstarter campaign for an important project
- making a recording or demo CD
- maintaining contact with supporters and updating them on recent and upcoming activities
- launching a new concert series or exploring concert opportunities at existing venues
- starting a blog
- mapping out time to prepare for a competition or for key orchestral auditions
- adding a newly commissioned work to our repertoire
- exploring possibilities for study abroad
- creating a monthly budget and adopting a system to adhere to it
- making sure we are covered by health insurance
- working with a coach on public speaking and presentation skills
For arts administrators, they may include summoning up the courage to explore new professional opportunities after many years in the same job. Those interested in teaching might add seeking out experienced, successful teachers for specific tips and information about how they got started, or applying to a recognized teaching artist program.
Here are some that I have come up with for myself:
- Try to go to at least one concert a month that offers music unfamiliar to me, preferably new music.
- Read current arts news on www.musicalamerica.com or www.artsjournal.com every day.
- Identify at least two new blogs that are relevant to my work and read them regularly.
- Overcome my insecurities about social media and use it more effectively. Consider joining the large chorus of tweeters.
- Update my contact list and website at least every three months.
- Create a list of a minimum of 20 new individual or institutional contacts who I should get to know.
- Dedicate at least one day a month to helping those less fortunate than I.
- Begin to explore the possibility of writing an inspirational book about my rich and rewarding career odyssey of nearly forty years in artist management.
I would love to hear from some of our readers with their own thoughts about how to make 2013 a particularly successful, meaningful and inspiring year.
A very happy 2013 to all!
To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.
© Edna Landau 2013