(Part 1) Starting a career in the Arts? Here’s some key advice from past and present Lead Artists

• Creative Practitioners

This blog post was originally written for and hosted by Creative Leicestershire on their website, as part of their activities in supporting the work of practitioners in the creative and cultural sector

When we interview our inspiring lead artists, we like to ask one very important question that everyone wants to know – “What advice would you give to someone embarking on a career in the arts?”

Just talk to people.

Anand Bhatt – Producer at Leicester Dance Company, Aakash Odedra

“It’s really easy to put people up on a pedestal (who want to want to be talked to!), but you’re too scared to make the ask or make yourself known to them. At worst, they’ll just say no or whatever, but never lose that innocence and naivety and just say “actually im just gonna go and ask this person something or talk to them.” The industry is full of friends, go and ask their advice – There’s no time people will be really dismissive of you if you ask them for support, because I think there’s an altruistic side to most people and they want to be able to see you grow. I’ve found that this industry is full of people like that.”

Watch our full interview with Anand here – https://youtu.be/jrxZjZjSKbA

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Follow your heart.

Kajal Nisha Patel – International Visual Artist

“Release yourself of the pressure to try and please everybody else. Make work that makes you happy. Try not to think of the end product and just really enjoy the journey and the process. For me, making art is a process of getting to know who you are and your place in the world, to find what your purpose is. If you’re kind of led by external pressures to show work in specific spaces then that’s going to really diminish your art and ideas – You’re going to be banging your head against a brick wall, so do what makes you happy.”

Watch our full interview with Kajal here – https://youtu.be/MkGc1m0Z408

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Embrace failure.

Kate Bajic – Contemporary Jeweller

“If you are starting out as a newbie, have a thick skin, persevere, keep trying and work hard. You need to accept that rejection happens. I often think that failure is the best way to learn, it really is an important learning process.

Watch our full interview with Kate here – https://youtu.be/2RcaaaKjfSE

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