South East Creatives encourages businesses in the creative, cultural and digital sectors to take advantage of a new £5.1 million grants and support programme.
Each month our case studies highlight a programme recipient. This month we are showcasing Steven Aron Williams, who participated in the South East Creatives Workshops + Mentoring Programme in February.
About Me:
I'm Steven Aron Williams and I am the founder of White Paper Pen. I am an art director and artist and I am currently in the process of establishing my own practice. My work involves illustration, photography and design. I work collaboratively with brands and other creatives and have a series of pop up shops opening this year.
How South East Creatives has supported my business:
Firstly being new to Folkestone, the South East Creatives programme was a great opportunity to meet and get to know fellow creatives from the local area. The group was diverse and at various stages of their professional journey. I found that I learned a lot from just meeting those people and by the end of the workshops there was a genuine desire to stay connected and support each other’s endeavours.
Secondly, the actual workshops were structured in a way that was punchy, thought-provoking and ultimately relatable to all creative businesses ranging from intellectual property, finance, effective use of social media. I was somewhat blasé about social media but the workshop taught me how I could be more targeted with my content, which content is the most effective, and also how it can be used as an effective selling tool.
The finance workshop broke down the general nightmare of money and accounts into simple straightforward steps. How to understand and manage cash flow, types of accounts etc. Despite being married to an accountant who is always talking to me about this kind of stuff, I found that being in that "classroom" environment made me focus and absorb this vital information for running my business. The most significant workshop from my perspective covered law and intellectual property. Learning how to navigate copyright, trademarks and the importance of protecting your creativity was invaluable. I have a better grasp of the legal steps I need to take in establishing and conducting my business so that myself, my clients, collaborators and customers know where they stand.
You can find out more about Steven’s work here:
You can find out more about South East Creatives Grants and Workshops + Mentoring programme at www.southeastcreatives.co.uk
Please note that the workshops are being converted to online programmes during the COVID19 Lockdown so you can still apply to participate. To do so you need to fill in both the eligibility form and the workshops application.
