WYCreate Masterclasses

for artists, creative freelancers and microbusinesses based in West Yorkshire

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Group of people sat listening to a speaker off camera at an event at Common Space to illustrate WYCreate Masterclasses

Bradford Producing Hub has partnered with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and The Fifth Sector to host a range of masterclasses for artists, creative freelancers and microbusinesses based in West Yorkshire.

WYCreate is a series of free training opportunities for creative freelancers and microbusinesses in West Yorkshire presented by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). Eligible artists and freelancers can benefit from financial support toward the costs of travel and attendance.

Who is WYCreate for?

WYCreate Masterclasses are for:

  • Freelancers* and micro-businesses** working in the creative industries and based in West Yorkshire
  • Creative industry graduates who are taking their first steps in establishing a business in West Yorkshire

* Freelancer: you are a West Yorkshire resident who provides your creative skills and services as an individual to clients on a project-by-project basis.

** Micro-business: you run, are a partner in, or are an employee of a West Yorkshire-based creative organisation with fewer than nine employees.

The WYCA is particularly keen that this support is accessible to all West Yorkshire residents, including those from marginalised communities and those facing barriers to participation. To check if you are eligible to receive additional financial support for training, head to wycreate.net/eligibility-faqs

Upcoming WYCreate masterclasses in partnership with Bradford Producing Hub

Mind Your Own Business

Monday 24 February 2025, 1.30 - 4.30 PM

Online via Zoom

About this masterclass

Mind Your Own Business is a practical business development workshop designed to support freelancers and microbusinesses from the creative sector to build a profitable and impactful creative practice that works for them.

This session will explore:

  • How to build a creative business while driving social good (it doesn’t have to be one or the other!)
  • How to build a growth mindset
  • How to define and pitch your creative business to your target audience
  • How to build a realistic business plan that allows you to thrive in your practice
  • How to build financial resilience and sustainability for your creative practice

This is a practical, action-learning-style session where you will work on various frameworks and worksheets to ensure the learning is implemented in a sustainable way. You can expect to develop a series of actionable ideas and strategies by the end of this session.

Minoti (she/her) has over 17 years of experience developing and implementing value-driven, strategic coaching support and training programmes for more than 100 organisations. These initiatives include designing leadership development programmes, culture and value-focused frameworks, evaluating operating models and staff needs, and executing customer engagement programmes across 25 countries. Her work focuses on creating value-led initiatives that provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the sustainable growth of organisations.

As a Coach and Consultant, Minoti has collaborated with senior leadership teams from large FTSE 100 companies, the NHS, local councils, universities, community groups and arts and culture organisations. 

Minoti is also a community artist and a trained classical Indian dancer working within communities across West Yorkshire.

tplexperiences.com

Goal Setting Masterclass: Growing, managing and measuring our success as a creative business

Monday 3 March 2025, 1.30 - 4.30 PM

Online via Zoom

About this masterclass

As creatives and microbusiness leaders, you wear multiple hats and juggle countless priorities. This masterclass is designed to help you cut through the chaos and gain clarity on where you are headed.

This workshop isn’t about generic advice – it is about crafting goals that align with your passion, your purpose and your vision for the future. Whether you are looking to deliver more collaborative work, produce new art, streamline your processes or win more funded work – this session will provide you with the roadmap to make it happen.

This is a practical workshop where you will learn how to become more strategic and SMART at managing, growing and measuring our success as a creative business.

Through this session, we will:

  • Dive into understanding how to develop a more strategic mindset around setting realistic goals and ambitions for your practice
  • Explore the connection between vision, mission, and actionable goals
  • Work with the SMART Goal Framework to develop short, medium and long-term goals
  • Build an action plan to stay motivated and accountable
  • Learn about tools and techniques to measure your actions, impact and business growth

This is a practical, action-learning-style session where you will work on various frameworks and worksheets to ensure the learning is implemented in a sustainable way. You can expect to develop a series of actions, strategies, SMART Goals and accountability checks by the end of this session.

Minoti (she/her) has over 17 years of experience developing and implementing value-driven, strategic coaching support and training programmes for more than 100 organisations. These initiatives include designing leadership development programmes, culture and value-focused frameworks, evaluating operating models and staff needs, and executing customer engagement programmes across 25 countries. Her work focuses on creating value-led initiatives that provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the sustainable growth of organisations.

As a Coach and Consultant, Minoti has collaborated with senior leadership teams from large FTSE 100 companies, the NHS, local councils, universities, community groups and arts and culture organisations. 

Minoti is also a community artist and a trained classical Indian dancer working within communities across West Yorkshire.

tplexperiences.com

Disability Awareness Training with Quiplash

Friday 7 March 2025, 10.30 AM - 2.00 PM

Bradford City Centre

About this masterclass

During this session, Quiplash will

  • Cover some of the major principles around disability and accessibility including models of disability and principles of disability justice
  • Unpack how language works in different disabled communities and identify what is considered good practice in the UK
  • Engage in exercises that help people think through the principles we discuss and how they can apply this knowledge to their own experiences
  • Workshop different tactics for embedding access into different spaces and ways of working
  • Provide time for questions and chatting

A vegetarian lunch and refreshments are included as part of this session, please provide any additional dietary requirements when booking your place. Lunch will be shared with attendees at Quiplash’s afternoon LGBTQ+ and Gender Awareness session, which you are welcome to book a place on.

Quiplash is co-led by Amelia Lander-Cavallo (they/them) and Al Lander-Cavallo (they/them).

Quiplash works within the principles of disability justice to produce work with radical integrated access at its core and connect communities to knowledge and its roots through partnerships, and embedded training. We use this experience to advocate for systemic culture change for disabled and queer artists.

quiplash.co.uk

LGBTQ+ and Gender Awareness Training with Quiplash

Friday 7 March 2025, 1.00 - 4.30 PM

Bradford City Centre

About this masterclass

During this session, Quiplash will

  • Cover some of the major principles around LGTBQ+ and gender identities, activism and politics
  • Unpack how language works in different LGBTQ+ and minority gender communities and identify what is considered good practice in the UK
  • Engage in exercises that help people think through the principles we discuss and how they can apply this knowledge to their own experiences
  • Workshop different tactics for making LGBTQ+ and minority gender-inclusive spaces and ways of working
  • Provide time for questions and chatting

A vegetarian lunch and refreshments are included as part of this session, please provide any additional dietary requirements when booking your place. Lunch will be shared with attendees at Quiplash’s morning Disability Awareness session, which you are welcome to book a place on.

Quiplash is co-led by Amelia Lander-Cavallo (they/them) and Al Lander-Cavallo (they/them).

Quiplash works within the principles of disability justice to produce work with radical integrated access at its core and connect communities to knowledge and its roots through partnerships, and embedded training. We use this experience to advocate for systemic culture change for disabled and queer artists.

quiplash.co.uk

Group coaching session: Managing time, personal boundaries and negotiations

Monday 10 March 2025, 1.30 - 4.30 PM

Online via Zoom

About this masterclass

This is a practical, discussion-led group coaching session designed to support freelancers and microbusinesses from the creative sector to empower themselves with some of the most essential soft skills needed to sustain a successful and healthy creative business.

Through this session, we will be working together to develop your understanding on:

  • Personal boundaries: how to build, maintain and communicate our personal boundaries in our creative practice
  • Managing time: how to effectively manage our time and day to better manage project-based delivery while sustaining our creative business
  • Negotiation skills: understand and practice the art of effective negotiation skills
  • Design an action plan to embed our learnings from the day into your business operations

This is a practical, engaging, action-learning style, group coaching session where you will work on various worksheets to ensure learning is implemented in a sustainable way. You can expect to develop a series of actions/ideas/strategies by the end of this session.

Minoti (she/her) has over 17 years of experience developing and implementing value-driven, strategic coaching support and training programmes for more than 100 organisations. These initiatives include designing leadership development programmes, culture and value-focused frameworks, evaluating operating models and staff needs, and executing customer engagement programmes across 25 countries. Her work focuses on creating value-led initiatives that provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the sustainable growth of organisations.

As a Coach and Consultant, Minoti has collaborated with senior leadership teams from large FTSE 100 companies, the NHS, local councils, universities, community groups and arts and culture organisations. 

Minoti is also a community artist and a trained classical Indian dancer working within communities across West Yorkshire.

tplexperiences.com

Sustainability Best Practice for Creative Microbusinesses with SAIL

Wednesday 12 March 2025, 9.30 AM - 4.15 PM

Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in-person at SAIL’s offices: Level 1, Merchants Quay, Ashley Lane, Shipley BD17 7DB 

About this masterclass

Delivered by SAIL, this hybrid training course is designed to empower creative professionals with the knowledge and tools to integrate sustainability into their work.

Through a blend of online pre-learning and interactive in-person workshops, this course will explore key concepts such as:

  • Understanding Sustainability in the Creative Sector: Discover what sustainability means for the cultural industries and how you can play a part in driving change.
  • Calculating your impact: Learn how to calculate your carbon impact
  • Funders and Sustainability: Gain insights into articulating your sustainability vision to funders such as Arts Council England and aligning your goals with funding opportunities.
  • Creating an Action Plan: Walk away with a personalised, actionable plan to implement sustainability in your work.

This course will also provide practical tools, real-world case studies, and opportunities for collaborative learning, equipping you to take meaningful action toward a more sustainable future.

Before attending this training session, you will be required to complete SAIL’s online pre-learning activity “Science Behind Climate Change”

  • This module is accessible through the SAIL website and is to be completed before joining the trainer for the full-day session.
  • This module provides foundational knowledge to prepare you for the session.
  • You will be provided with a link to this module after booking a place for this training session.

Jamie Saye, Co-founder and executive director, SAIL (he/him)
Mary Lawrence, Lead sustainability consultant, SAIL (she/her)

SAIL is 

A pioneering not-for-profit that supports the creative and cultural industries to be environmentally sustainable Through specialised support, training and our membership network, they foster connections, empower communities, and turn ambitions into action.

SAIL provide comprehensive support to organisations and individuals looking to integrate sustainability into their practices. They help individuals and organisations assess, plan, act, and learn about sustainability, with a focus on creating measurable, lasting change. Whether you’re just beginning your sustainability journey or looking to take the next step, SAIL have the tools, expertise, and resources to guide you.

wearesail.org

Good Governance

Monday 17 March 2025, 1.30 - 4.30 PM

Online via Zoom

About this masterclass

Good governance isn’t just about compliance – it is about creating a framework that allows your creative company to thrive, deliver meaningful impact and grow sustainably. This session is designed to be interactive, with real-world examples, group discussions, and actionable takeaways on building and maintaining robust governance in your organisation.

Through this session, we will be working together to develop your understanding of:

  • Setting up a Board of Trustees or Directors
  • The need for having robust governance (including case studies and common challenges)
  • The link between your ambitions, your purpose and your Board
  • Building a Board that works for the organisation’s experience, skillset, roles and responsibilities
  • Recruiting a Board with diverse lived experiences
  • Communicating, engaging, and managing your Board and embedding transparency and accountability
  • Building and nurturing Board relationships that enhance the growth of your organisation or business

This is a practical, engaging, action-learning style session where you will work on various frameworks and worksheets to ensure learning is implemented in a sustainable way. You can expect to develop a Board development, recruitment and engagement plan by the end of this session.

Minoti (she/her) has over 17 years of experience developing and implementing value-driven, strategic coaching support and training programmes for more than 100 organisations. These initiatives include designing leadership development programmes, culture and value-focused frameworks, evaluating operating models and staff needs, and executing customer engagement programmes across 25 countries. Her work focuses on creating value-led initiatives that provide a supportive and nurturing environment for the sustainable growth of organisations.

As a Coach and Consultant, Minoti has collaborated with senior leadership teams from large FTSE 100 companies, the NHS, local councils, universities, community groups and arts and culture organisations. 

Minoti is also a community artist and a trained classical Indian dancer working within communities across West Yorkshire.

tplexperiences.com

More Training

A development programme for artists, directors, producers and creatives who are new to outdoor arts
Fully-funded training hosted by SAIL and certified by the Carbon Literacy Project, worth £95!

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