6 CURIOSITY AND SPOTTING OPPORTUNITIES Curiosity is one of the key attributes of artists who sustain their practice. If we maintain an enthusiasm for innovation and are inquisitive about new ways of doing things we can ensure that we maintain a fresh approach to what we do. It can also be personally enriching to continue learning and do new things. One of the key things our curiosity gives us is the ability to spot new opportunities. These opportunities might be to go about our practice in new ways, including how we run the enterprise part of our practice. Examples of spotting opportunities include where we: • Experiment with using different materials to make their work • Use a different production technique • Work with a different team of people • Sell our work in a different way Spotting opportunities for doing things differently lead to important developments in our practice. SOURCING OPPORTUNITIES AND BIDDING FOR WORK One of the keys to spotting opportunities is knowing where to look for ideas. One way of spotting new ideas and opportunities is to go somewhere different and meet new people. Going to industry events, openings, and seminars are important sources of ideas and you need to put time into them when building and maintaining your practice. It is common for artists to bid for opportunities to make, present or perform work. For different areas of practice there are well-known internet portals and newsletters which will be useful in identifying these opportunities. It is important that you identify them and engage with them frequently. Once you have identified an opportunity it is important that you can communicate and present your work and ideas. That means you need to be able to engage in storytelling – pitch what you do, understand what funders want from your work, and write a bid that responds to their brief. SPOTTING OPPORTUNITIES
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