Summer School for Artists

Join The Bakery Atlanta for Summer School for Artists, a two-day professional development intensive designed for emerging artists, cultural workers, and creative entrepreneurs. Inspired by the need for practical business education beyond traditional art school, the program equips participants with the tools to take their practice to the next level through workshops and presentations on entrepreneurship, finance, branding, and marketing. 

The sessions are led by local professionals with expertise in each field who will share real-world knowledge through a range of talks, interactive sessions, and hands-on learning. Our goal is to empower participating artists with practical skills, professional connections, and actionable strategies that strengthen their creative practice, increase their economic opportunities, and support a more resilient arts ecosystem in Atlanta.

Saturday will focus on operations and finance. Sunday will focus on marketing and end with a panel of professionals available to review work and give you one-on-on feedback. See below for an idea of what you'll take away from each day and session. 

Pricing:

• Two-day ticket... $100 
• One-day ticket... $55
• Drop-in one session... $25 [one highlighted session below] 

We will have a limited amount of discounted tickets for those that need them. Fill out this form to request one: Subsidized Ticket Request Form

Note: All ticket sales are final and directly support our artists and community programming. Thank you for your understanding and for supporting your favorite arts nonprofit!

Day 1: Saturday, August 8th

☕️ 10:00am - 10:15am: Arrival, Breakfast, Networking [Breakfast included! Sending a big thank you to our friends at Peoples Town Coffee Bar for helping with coffee and pastries.]

🗣️ 10:15am - 10:30am: Welcome from George F Baker III ~ George F. Baker III, also known as GFB3, is a Nebraska-born, Detroit Grown, and Atlanta-Raised Creator. Using his instruments of design, illustration, and production, he employs a playful childlike spirit to engage the inner-child we all have.

⭐️ 10:30am - 11:30am: Budgeting + Cash Flow for Creatives with Jillian Todd ~ Gain control of your income, your expenses, and your next move with Jillian Todd, a Virtual CFO and Money Coach for creative entrepreneurs. Jillian is a trained accountant who wants you to feel as confident with your numbers as you are with your work. In Cash Flow for Creatives, you’ll learn how to break away from the feast-or-famine loop and make an income-boosting plan that suits your business. No matter how messy your numbers feel.

🌿 11:30am - 11:45am: Break 

⭐️ 11:45pm - 1:45pm: Taxes for Artists with Lisa Schnellinger ~ Taught by Lisa Schnellinger, an artist turned tax preparer who came to tax work after years of doing her own returns as a writer, photographer, and glass studio owner. She has been preparing returns professionally for H&R Block, including working with musicians and other artists. This two-hour workshop breaks down the tax basics that actually matter: what you can really deduct, and how to keep track of everything, as well as business structure and sales tax reporting. Students will leave with tools to stay legit and keep more money in their pocket so they can get back to making art.

🥗 1:45pm - 2:30pm: Lunch Break [BYO Lunch]

⭐️ 2:30pm - 3:45pm: Property and Casualty Insurance with Camisha Butler ~ Camisha Butler is an interdisciplinary fiber artist, educator, and founder of Kobe Insurance Services. Alongside her arts practice, Camisha has worked in commercial insurance, where she developed an appreciation for risk management and protecting the work people dedicate their lives to creating. She now specializes in helping artists, creatives, and small businesses better understand insurance, empowering them to safeguard their studios, artwork, events, and livelihoods. Through this workshop, she combines her experience as both a working artist and insurance professional to make insurance practical, approachable, and relevant to creative careers.

🌿 3:45pm - 4:00pm: Thank You + Recap

Day 2: Sunday, August 9th 

☕️ 10:00am - 10:15am: Arrival, Breakfast, Networking [Breakfast included! Sending a big thank you to our friends at Peoples Town Coffee Bar for helping with coffee and pastries.]

🗣️ 10:15am - 10:30am: Welcome from Lynne Tanzer 

⭐️ 10:30am - 11:30am: Finding Your Niche + Audience with Katie Costa ~ More information coming soon.

🌿 11:30am - 11:45am: Break

⭐️ 11:45am - 12:45pm: DIY Marketing + Promo on a Budget with Kaliena Bowen ~ More information coming soon.

🥗 12:45pm - 1:15pm: Lunch Break [BYO Lunch]

⭐️ 1:15pm - 2:15pm: Marketing Your Brand with Asli Shebe-Tindi ~ More information coming soon.

🌿 2:15pm - 2:30pm: Break

⭐️ 2:30pm - 3:30pm: From Application to Award with Sarah Lawrence ~ This session with Sarah Lawrence will break down the key elements of a strong application, from writing a compelling artist statement to structuring a project proposal that funders and juries actually want to read. Takeaways: A clear understanding of how to craft a strong application. Practical writing tips to refine your artist statement and project proposals. Confidence to apply for opportunities that align with your work.

⭐️ 3:30pm - 4:30pm: Review + Feedback ~ Bring your work and get real time feedback from a panel of professionals. You can bring digital and/or physical documents. Examples: resume, portfolio, website, grant application, marketing plan, business plan, pitch deck, etc. Reviewers include Monica Campana, Amanda Norris, Sarah Lawrence, Samantha Singleton, Asli Shebe-Tindi, Andy Bibliowicz, and more TBA. 

🎉 4:30pm - 7:00pm: Reception ~ Celebrate completing this program with other attendees featuring complimentary headshots by Blake Pipes! 📸