Artists are brave people they like to push boundaries, they peddle visions and create new territories, new perspectives. The ground beneath an artists feet is rarely solid, the view from their window is never constant and they shelter under an uncertain sky (usually because their bank account fluctuates like the weather and who knows how they're going to make the next mortgage payment). . . .

Well maybe, but Damien Hirst and Tracey Emmin and others may disagree - arguably they demonstrate a firm hold on the 'business' of art.  David Parrish author of T-shirts and Suits certainly thinks its time 'creatives' got a better grip on the business side of things. From getting out more to mix with and learn from people in other fields, literally anyone; Vicars, Engineers, Civil Servants, Business moguls, footballers... they've all got something to offer and all look to the arts for inspiration and ideas (perhaps not footballers?). His free guide downloadable from his website lays out in fairly lengthy form how artists can get better at business. If you haven't read it, give it a go (it's got pictures and it's well thought out) coax the entrepreneur in you out of the box and take control of your creativity.

Or you can book a half-day session with Artsmonkey: 'Jumping out of the box' is either a half day or whole day session for creatives looking at how you can take control of your creatvity and re-channel, re-focus on the business side of things from exploring new ways of promoting your work to making more use of networks and promotion opportunities to re-discovering what's at the core of what you do and why you do it. For more info email info@artsmonkey.co.uk