INSPIRE: free online coaching programme for community artists
INSPIRE was a project running in 2022 providing free online coaching and mentoring for 25 artists working with non-professionals who make performing art.
re-inspire is currently recruiting. More info here.
Inspire was conceived, designed and delivered by myself, funded by Derby Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Lowry, Donmar Warehouse and Arts Council, England with support in kind from BAC and LIFT. inspire was for cis and trans women and non binary people, who were community / socially engaged artists. see below for more details.
inspire ran from june to October 2022. for info on my current offering: re-inspire, see here
WHAT was INSPIRE?
INSPIRE was conceived, designed, and delivered by myself. I am passionate about coaching and support being available to everyone, not just those who can afford it, and I felt there was a gap in provision I wanted to fill.
It was an online coaching programme for cis and trans women, and non binary people, who were freelance community practitioners / practitioners working in socially engaged arts. Membership was via an open call out. It provided each practitioner with:
3 x hour long individual coaching from lead coach Lily Einhorn
One full cohort group coaching session with Lily and Anne Langford
Two smaller group coaching sessions / workshops with Lily Einhorn
Two hours of mentoring from someone in the industry agreed with each cohort member
Opportunities to connect with a peer group of freelance community practitioners based across the UK
A fee of £200 at the end of the programme to spend a day reflecting on the programme and if you desire, writing a manifesto / best practices document for yourself. (However, if cohort members preferred to use that day as paid rest, walking or taking time for themselves otherwise impossible, that was encouraged).
A chance to share and discuss their manifesto / document with the four participating theatres: The Lowry, Salford; Derby Theatre; Donmar Warehouse and Theatre Royal Stratford East
INSPIRE ran from June to October 2022. If you are an organisation who would like to sponsor or support a second iteration please get in touch.
FEEDBACK ON THE INSPIRE PROGRAMME
I've taken practical steps forward
‘I've taken practical steps forward (built a website, created a project proposal) and had the project proposal accepted. I also have a network of community arts practitioner-friends that I never had before.’
The effect of the INSPIRE programme has been immeasurable
‘The effect of the INSPIRE programme has been immeasurable. My confidence in my practice and myself as an artist has increased ten-fold across the programme. I now have actionable steps in place to move my practice forward, achieve more and extend my artistic practice to a wider community.’
The mentoring has given me tangible insight into the next stage of my career
‘I identified a way out of the difficult situation I was in and I have found a new arts job and shifted into a new work area and only feel I could manage that because of this programme. The mentoring has given me tangible insight into the next stage of my career.’
I have developed a newfound pride in what I do
‘Taking part in this programme has completely turned everything around for me. When I started, I was in a dark place. I resented my work - I felt so drained by it, and also I no longer identified as an artist of any kind. Since taking part, I have developed a newfound pride in what I do… As a result of the programme I've applied for funding myself for the first time and been successful and I'm about to begin facilitating my own project.’
I've reconnected with what I value about being in the arts industry
‘I was feeling quite stuck and thinking about retraining and leaving the arts all together out of frustration for the precariousness and the desire for financial stability. And those thoughts are still there but the framing of them is different, I feel like I’ve reconnected with what I value about being in the arts as an industry.’
It's made me remember who I am
‘It’s made me clearer, stronger and braver. It’s made me get back in touch with practices that energise and feed me. It’s made me remember who I am.’
FEEDBACK ON INDIVIDUAL COACHING SESSIONS
I really felt heard
‘Lily is such an attentive listener, so I really felt heard.’
Twelve years in the arts and nothing has ever made me feel as seen, heard and motivated as 3 coaching sessions with Lily
‘Being coached by Lily was one of the most revolutionary things I could have done for myself and my career. I have done a LOT of CPD over the years but nothing felt like a special personalised invite as a community artist to consider myself and my practice. Twelve years in the arts and nothing has ever made me feel as seen, heard and motivated as 3 coaching sessions with Lily.’
It enabled me to be brave
'The coaching sessions have given me time and space to articulate some of the blockages I have been feeling about my practice… With Lily's expert coaching in the way she posed questions or reflected back to me what I had said, it enabled me to be brave and look at what has been happening for myself and to be brave in taking steps forward. I am now taking steps to evaluate not just my practice but also how that connects with my personal and family life and have honest conversations about that. I am also feeling empowered to begin making some shifts to enable myself to develop as an artist and practitioner.’
I feel like my brain moved forwards
‘In three hours I feel like my brain moved forwards the same amount as it would take me around three years to do on my own.’
I felt energised, focussed and happy
‘Lily is patient, considered, highly skilled at drawing the answers out of me and had considered everything - I felt so relaxed going into the process as the access and communications were so clear. After each coaching session I felt energised, focused and happy.’
I really like that Lily met me where I was at in each session
‘I really like that Lily met me where I was at in each session. When I needed to process my feelings around something I was able to do that and then when I needed to have more of an action planning type conversation I was able to do that.’
INSPIRE FULL REPORT
For the full INSPIRE report, please email. For information on more projects like this, to discuss a tailor made project for your organisation, or to discuss coaching, please also get in touch via the button below.
inspire was funded by
