The Playbook

Program

Learn how to leverage your skills and build a practical studio plan to implement over the next 12 months.

Course Overview

  • The Practice Playbook Program is a 10-session course demystifying the relationship between your studio practice and industry gatekeepers.

  • In this course, you’ll learn how to position yourself within the current art industry and gain a new perspective on how it all works. 

  • We’ll explain how understanding the industry’s asymmetry and using a variety of industry best practices will help you make decisions and build a sustainable studio practice.

  • By the end of this course, you’ll discover how to leverage your skills within the sector and how to build a practical studio plan to implement over the next 12 months.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will learn the current landscape of the art industry and how to position themselves (and their work) within it.

  • Students will gain an understanding of the different roles and key decision-makers in the various streams of the art industry.

  • Students will learn how to identify their unique value proposition and why this is important for communicating to gallerists and curators. 

  • Students will discover the role and value of industry best practices and cultivate the essential project management skills to develop a successful studio practice.

  • Students will learn how to build a practical studio plan to implement over the next 12 months.

What We Won’t Cover:

  • Because this is a process-oriented course, we won’t discuss theory.

  • We won’t be giving portfolio feedback.

  • We won’t be teaching specific technical skills relevant to making work.

Course Structure

  • Students are encouraged to review the pre-class materials so everyone is on the same page before we apply these concepts in class.

  • Our classes will start with a short recap of pre-class material, followed by discussions and various individual and/or group activities.

  • Students will have an opportunity to participate in group discussions, receive ongoing feedback about course activities/materials, and ask any questions they may have about the day’s topic.

Method: This course combines elements from the Business Case model with experiential learning methods commonly utilised in Art Schools, tailored specifically for creatives. 

We will integrate the Socratic Method, which involves a dialogue between the teacher and students, driven by probing questions to explore the underlying beliefs that influence students' perspectives and opinions. Additionally, we will incorporate Systems Thinking and Design Thinking to analyse various components of the subject matter in depth.


Delivery: This is not a lecture-based course. Rather, sessions are based on discussions, exploration and concept application to showcase to students how market demands and industry expectations intersect with their creative practice.

Instructor

Dr. Erika Wong is a startup founder, practising artist, podcast co-host, and lecturer at various institutions. Her research looks at the valuation and legitimisation system of the Art World and its relationship to the Creative Class, focusing on creative entrepreneurship and current technologies. Dr. Wong has worked internationally in tech, fashion, and art strategising. She is a Fellow in Higher Education and holds a Ph.D. in Business from the University of Brighton in Brighton, England; an MA in Creative Practice for Narrative Environment from Central St. Martins in London, England; and a BFA from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Email: erika@mypracticeplaybook.com

For Virtual Office Hours: Schedule via Calendly

Course FAQ

  • If you’ve been accepted to the course, you’ll receive a username and password via email.

    To access the course, go to the login page and enter your username and password.

    Finding Course Materials:

    Once you’ve logged in, navigate to the Course Dashboard.

    All course materials will be available under the “Course Materials” section of the Course Dashboard.

    Finding Lesson Breakdowns:

    Course materials are organised by class. To find the lesson breakdown, select the relevant week and/or class.

  • A submission button for assignments is available within each class.

    Please submit assignments by the deadline listed within the course schedule.

    The submission link will also be available within the summary of each lesson sent via email at the end of every class.

  • Videos of the presentation(s) are available for students who cannot attend a live session.

    Please note, recordings are available for the presentation(s) only and do not include any activities or discussions.

  • If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please email us at theplaybook@mypracticeplaybook.com

  • Each class has a designated location for additional resources. Click on the drop-down menu to view the additional resources from each class.

  • There are no exams for this course.

    In class one, students will complete a positionality quiz as part of the lesson's learning objectives. This quiz is not graded and is solely used to provide a foundation for students to work from.

  • Yes! There is a community for students.

  • Yes! Students will have the opportunity to discuss the course materials and collaborate on activities in every class.