Andrew Simonet (center, in blue) leads a group of artists in PDP’s Cary, NC workshop.

The Creative Capital workshop has helped me to see the work I do in a different light: it is valuable, marketable and not something I should apologize for. My personal art practice should not come second to the work I do to make a living—permission to prioritize!
—Cara Hagan, Participant, Core Skills Weekend Workshop, Cary, NC

Over the first weekend of February, Professional Development Program leaders took a trip south to Cary, NC and Atlanta, GA. In Cary, we partnered with the North Carolina Arts Council for a Core Skills Weekend, chock-full of insight from presenters Andrew Simonet, Beverly McIver, Jackie Battenfield, Sue Johnson & Colleen Keegan. In Atlanta, we worked with Flux Projects and PushPush Theater to present a one-day Artist-Community Engagement workshop led by Aaron Landsman and Dread Scott. The Atlanta workshop was generously underwritten by Tequila Herradura. Polly Garcia, a participant in Atlanta, told us: “This workshop, just the few hours here, fed my soul to help me continue on. The idea of ‘abundance’ was brought up, and I am so grateful for the abundant energy and compassion and thought that I was allowed to be part of here.”

Core Skills Weekend participants and leaders letting loose in Cary, NC.