Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership Co-Sponsors Virtual Visionaries Series

The Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership, in collaboration with the Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation & Research, is proud to announce a new collaboration with the University of Michigan EXCEL Lab.

Announcing Virtual Visionaries

Are you curious about how artists build freelance careers? Or wondering how they
develop arts organizations from the ground up? Are you looking for pro tips on crafting identity-driven works of art? How to tackle social issues through your practice? Leading beyond crisis? Or just eager to connect with professionals on the day-to-day challenges of being an artist right now? Join us for conversations on these topics and more.

Virtual Visionaries is a 10-week series in partnership between UM’s EXCEL program, Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership, and seven other national partners. Starting the week of May 25 through early August, this series brings together professionals across the performing arts for weekly virtual discussions on Zoom. We’ve selected a diverse group of leaders at various stages of their careers to engage in open conversations about topics ranging from personal finance issues, to developing identity-driven work, along with a variety of entrepreneurial approaches relevant to young arts professionals. Each week our guest speakers will also author a blog post, providing a sneak peek of the virtual sessions and providing a basis for our virtual discussion. 

This series is made possible by the transformative support of the Meta Weiser EXCEL Fund, a generous anonymous donation, and through partnership with several important collaborators.

Each week will include:

• A short blog post, authored by the special guest(s), exploring week’s theme
• A live virtual session  featuring our special guests and  moderated by an EXCEL staff member.
• A reflective summary-post that, published by the Paul R. Judy Center, that draws connections between the week’s subject, points participants to additional resources, and challenges the reader to reflect on how the topic intersects with their own practice.

How to participate: all sessions are free and open to the public. RSVP HERE for any/all of the virtual sessions listed below, which will allow you to add specific events to your Google Calendar. RSVP is not required, though, so feel free to join directly via the Zoom links included below.

Week 1 (May 25-29): Personal Finance for Artists with Tara Faircloth

• Blog post arrives Monday, May 25
• Virtual Session: Thursday, May 28 from 5:00-6:00PM EDT
• Eastman Reflection post arrives on Saturday, May 30

Zoom link for the Virtual Session: http://myumi.ch/lx0qk 

This session is designed for independent artists, performers, or contract creatives with irregular income. Join acclaimed stage director Tara Faircloth for a workshop on budgeting for the freelance lifestyle, using a systematic approach to finances that will help you plan for the pitfalls of the up-and-down income inherent in a contract worker’s life.