Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The course supports students in their transition when stepping out to the working life by providing them transferable skills, tools and practical knowledge of how to operate professionally and self-contained in their own fields. Students gain understanding of various needed operations and conventions in the professional fields of free-lancing, visual culture and arts.
On a successful completion of this course the students are able to:
- present and promote their work to diverse public
- knowledge the significance of their own work and brand as well as the importance of their intentional future development
- market their work sovereignly (the emphasis here is on advertising and editorial work)
- sell and price their work to various clients
- critically read different types of exhibition contracts
- analytically discuss copyright issues
- search varied information on matters concerning their professional and artistic praxis, e.g. grants, residencies
- work independently on one's own initiative
Credits: 4
Schedule: 03.05.2021 - 25.05.2021
Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022): Heli Rekula
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Heli Rekula
Contact information for the course (valid 01.04.2021-21.12.2112):
Course teacher: Heli Mäenpää, heli@bangbang.fi/ +358 50 5110 765
CEFR level (applies in this implementation):
Language of instruction and studies (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022):
Teaching language: English
Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
The course covers various aspects and factors that need to be taken into account when working independently and professionally in the field of photography, visual culture and arts. The Self Promotion -section, led by Heli Mäenpää, introduces students to their own marketing and brand management tools and gives them instruments to increase and maintain their own network visibility and portfolio quality. The course helps students to find their own line of commercial photography in the world. The course also examines commercial photography management criteria, such as access, sales, pricing, and billing.
The Presentation Skills -section is used to practice the various speech performance techniques that are needed already during the studies, including the presentation of the thesis.
Other topics covered by the Working Life Skills -course are copyright issues and various contract practices related to organizing exhibitions and working in collaboration with galleries. Additionally, the course aims to cover, other professional practices relevant to the visual art and freelance work, such as residencies and grants.
Applies in this implementation:
Working Life Skills
Spring 2021: 3.5-25.5.
The course will be organised as remote work and teaching. Teaching platform: aalto.zoom.us (the link will be announced separately)
The teaching consists of on-line lectures, discussions and rehearsal sessions. Individual student-teacher sessions will be organised as well.
Teaching / course days:
1st week: May 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
2nd week: May 10, 11, 22
3rd week: May 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
4th week: May 25
Teaching times in Zoom mainly between 10.00–12.00 & 13.00–15.00
Course times daily: 10.00–17.00
Lunch break about: 12.00–13.00
Every Zoom-teaching hour includes a 5–15 mins break
The detailed schedule is posted to course participants via e-mail and in MyCourses (announcements) as a PDF-file. Some changes in the schedule may take place before and during the course.
TEACHERS
Heli Mäenpää 3.5-25.5.
- Self Promotion
- Heli Mäenpää is a teacher and a coach to artists when it comes to marketing, branding and promotion.
- Each course participant is entitled to a private one hour long coaching session scheduled directly with Heli M.
Ece Pazarbaşı: 20.-21.5.
- A two-day intensive workshop with Ece Pazarbaşı, curator, advisor and an educator living in Istanbul and Berlin. See more: https://artgrantclinic.org/about
Henriette Kervinen, Aalto Language Centre: 11.-12.5
- On academic presentation, interaction and communication skills
- Henriette is a teacher of Speech Communication at Aalto Language Centre
QUEST LECTURERS
Copyright Day! Wednesday 5.5.
Two lectures by Maria Rehbinder:
Copyright & Exhibition contracts & artists' copyrights
Maria Rehbinder, Senior Legal Counsel, Aalto ARTS / OTK, tekijänoikeusasiamies, Taideyliopistojen tekijänoikeuspalvelu / LL.M, Legal Counsel, Art University Copyright Advisory ServicesLecture by Kati Pelkonen: Copyright issues from visual arts perspective
Kati Pelkonen, The spokesperson of Visual Artists’ Copyright Society KUVASTO
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
The course consists of lectures, experts' presentations, visitations, assignments, group work and discussions, independent work time, individual instruction, feedback and evaluation. The course demands 80% attendance, and completion of the given assignments and tasks.
Applies in this implementation:
The course consists of lectures, experts' presentations, visitations, assignments, group work and discussions, independent work time, individual instruction, feedback and evaluation. The course demands 80% attendance, and completion of the given assignments and tasks.
Workload
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
4 ects equals a total of 108 hours of students' work. The total hours are divided into lectures, group meetings and discussions, independent working time, individual instruction, feedback and evaluation.
Applies in this implementation:
4 ects equals a total of 108 hours of students' work. The total hours are divided into lectures, group meetings and discussions, independent working time, individual instruction, feedback and evaluation.
DETAILS
Study Material
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
To be defined by the teachers of the course.
Applies in this implementation:
Details of the course materials will be announced by the teachers of the course.
Materials for COPYRIGHT DAY on Wed 22.4.
Quest lecturers: Maria Rehbinder & Kati Pelkonen
LOOK THROUGH BEFORE THE LECTURES!
General information on copyright: https://libguides.aalto.fi/copyright
Information on how to cite images in academic writing: https://libguides.aalto.fi/c.php?g=659426&p=4654810
LUE MYÖS / READ ALSO! (scroll down for English):
https://www.cupore.fi/images/tiedostot/2020/taiteen_ja_kulttuurin_barometri_2019.pdf
Kulttuuripolitiikan tutkimuskeskus Cupore / Center for Cultural Policy Research
Taiteen ja kulttuurin barometri 2019: Taiteilijoiden työ ja toimeentulon muodot
Yhteenveto s. 6
Tekijänoikeuksien merkityksestä s. 54
Arts and Culture Barometer 2019, Summary in English, pp. 19-25
–> Artists often do not know how to commercially utilise copyrights, p. 22
Cupore has published an Arts and Culture Barometer since 2015 in collaboration with the Arts Promotion Centre Finland. The Barometer survey concentrates on annually agreed topical questions in Finnish arts policy.
The Barometer 2019 deals with the artists profession and livelihood.
SEE ALSO INFORMATION ABOUT KUVASTO!
Visual Artists’ Copyright Society KUVASTO
http://kuvasto.fi
Substitutes for Courses
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
DOM-E3011 Self Promotion 6 cr
DOM-E3004 Presentation Skills 3 cr
DOM-C1007 Professional and Legal Practices 3 cr
Prerequisites
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
The second year MA Photography students are prioritised. If possible, also other students of the Master's Programme in Photography may be accepted in the course either in enrolment order or by requested application letter.
Registration for Courses
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
Registrations through WebOodi.
The order of priority is as follows:
1. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have scheduled it for the current academic year in their personal study plan (HOPS)
2. exchange students for whom the course is a part of his/her officially approved learning agreement and scheduled to be taken during the current semester
3. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have not completed it yet
4. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major s or programme s alternative studies and has been scheduled in the student's PSP (HOPS) for the current academic year
5. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major s or programme s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet
6. students for whom the course is compulsory for their minor
7. students, for whom the course is part of his/her minor subject s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet
8. students who have applied for the course through a student mobility scheme (internal mobility within Aalto University, flexible study right (JOO) studies etc.)
9. other students
Applies in this implementation:
In spring 2021 the course is available mainly for the 2nd year MA students of the Master's Programme in Photography as part of their mandatory studies.
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
4 Quality Education
5 Gender Equality
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:
The teaching language may vary (Finnish / English) according to the group of students.
Applies in this implementation:
In spring 2021 the course is available mainly for the 2nd year MA students of the Master's Programme in Photography as part of their mandatory studies.
Details on the schedule
Applies in this implementation:
Mon 3.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Course content and schedule
Introduction & Assignment 1: Elevator speech
13.00–15.00 Briefing for Assignment 2: Visual elevator speech
Lecture: Personal branding
15.00–17.00 Independent work time on Assignment 2
Tue 4.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Lecture: Personal branding and website
Briefing for Assignment 3: Website
13.00–15.00 Group review in Zoom: Assignment 2
15.00–17.00 Independent work time on Assignment 3
Wed 5.5. 10.00–15.00: Maria Rehbinder, AALTO & Kati Pelkonen, KUVASTO
10.00–12.00 Two lectures by Maria Rehbinder:
Copyright
Exhibition Contracts & Artists’ Copyrights
13.00–15.00 Lecture by Kati Pelkonen: Copyright issues from visual arts perspective
Thu 6.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Lecture: Portfolio
13.00–15.00 Lecture: Social media visibility
15.00–17.00 Independent work time on Assignment 3
Fri 7.5. 10.00–17.00: Independent work time on Assignment 3
Mon 10.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Lecture: Commercial photography
13.00–15.00 Lecture: Composing cost estimate
Briefing of Assignment 4: Cost estimate
15.00–17.00 Independent work time on assignments
Tue 11.5. 10.00–13.00: Henriette Kervinen, Aalto Language Centre
10.00–13.00 Lecture: Presentation and performing skill
Wed 12.5. 10.00–13.00: Henriette Kervinen, Aalto Language Centre
10.00–13.00 Lecture: Presentation and performing skills
Mon 17.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Group review in Zoom: Assignment 4: Cost estimate
13.00–17.00 Group review in Zoom: Assignment 4: Cost estimate
Tue 18.5. 10.00–17.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Lecture: Marketing and communications of an exhibition or a publication
13.00–15.00 Lecture: Business contacting and communications
15.00–17.00 Independent work time on Assignment 3: Website
Wed 19.5. 10.00–17.00: Independent work time on Assignment 3: Website
Thu 20.5. 10.00–17.00: Ece Pazarbaşı
10.00–12.00 Approaching galleries and institutions
About networking
13.00–17.00 Exhibition contracts & Introduction to international artists’ residencies
Fri 21.5. 10.00–17.00: Ece Pazarbaşı
10.00–12.00 Strategies for successful residency applications
13.00–17.00 Class assignments and evaluations
Tue 25.5. 10.00–15.00: Heli Mäenpää
10.00–12.00 Group review in Zoom: Assignment 3: Website
13.00–15.00 Group review in Zoom: Assignment 3: Website
15.00–17.00 Wrap up of the course: Discussion & feedback