No Artist Left Behind

We have an ambitious goal: no student majoring in an arts discipline at a St. Louis area university or college graduates without exposure to basic legal and business matters. By providing guest speakers, free easy-to-understand guides and workshops in negotiation skills, we will help students make the transition from the academic environment to their artistic careers.

Guest Speakers: Visual Artists

Six working visual artists — Andy Cross, Matty Kleinberg, Ray Marklin, Sukanya Mani, Anukriti Sud and Eric Woods are available to speak to university and college classes throughout the metropolitan area. The artists discuss their experiences and careers, show samples of their work, provide a basic introduction to copyright, contracts and financial matters and describe VLAA's services. Students receive free copies of Copyright Basics, Anatomy of a Contract and Artist as Bookkeeper. To book a speaker, call 314/863-6930. (Cross, Mani and Sud by Benjamin Trevor Photography)

Guest Speakers: Musicians

Two musicians have joined our roster. They are Dee Coleman and Dawn Weber. Like the visual artists who helped launch our No Artist Left Behind initiative, they discuss their careers and key legal and business issues. They also describe our services and distribute free copies of our publications. To book a speaker, call 314/863-6930. (Photos: Benjamin Trevor Photography)

Guest Speakers: Filmmakers

In 2012, we added Sam Coffey and Carson Minow of First Punch Film Production to our roster. Located in the heart of the Cherokee district, the film and animation studio produces both independent narrative and commercial work. First Punch received a RFT MasterMind Award in 2011.

NEW!

Guest Speaker: Negotiation 101

For many artists, negotiating is sheer misery. But negotiation skills are critical to a successful career. With skill and practice, artists can learn how to communicate more effectively and how to strengthen important business relationships. Presented in an interactive style by working actor Michelle Hand, the session will: identify your students' negotiation styles; build capacity to transform adversarial approaches to negotiation and conflict into problem-solving collaborations, producing better outcomes for all parties while enhancing long-term relationships; sharpen negotiation skills through role playing; and provide suggested follow-up activities.

Hand has appeared in more than 40 stage productions with 15 different local companies. She has been the recipient of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Judy" award, the Riverfront Times "Best Of..." award and the first ever Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play. Michelle was the co-founder and artistic director of the Orange Girls.

Thanks To Our Sponsor

A $7,500 grant from The Boeing Company is underwriting the initiative. During our holiday reception, Jim Bafaro, senior manager, Global Corporate Citizenship at The Boeing Company, hand-delivered the check to Linda Paradis, VLAA board president, and Andy Cross, artist-speaker.

"Our fashion design career workshop found a perfect fit with VLAA's negotiation strategies presentation. The material was cleverly tailored to walk us through the scenario we could face in a negotiation. Engaging in unexpected and compelling ways, the VLAA presentation was the high point our day."
Robin VerHage-Abrams, associate professor, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University

"The presentation by VLAA helped me look at negotiating in an entirely different light, and I now feel more confident at the prospect of speaking up for myself and standing by my standards. "
Chantal Strasburger, fashion design student