Studio Saturdays

Associate Artist Manager Katy Crompton will guide participants through the essentials of building a professional and reputable portfolio career. She’ll provide advice on contracts, fee negotiation, working internationally, and how to make the most of opportunities.

Performance accountant Louise Herrington will explain the essentials of tax for freelancers, including getting set up, keeping records, and understanding Making Tax Digital. Louise makes financial topics clear, practical, and easy to understand, helping you feel more confident in managing your finances.

Topics covered

• Taking ownership of your career from day one: How to move beyond waiting for auditions by creating opportunities, setting goals, and thinking strategically about your development.
• Building a professional reputation: Making a strong first impression through reliability, preparation, networking, and maintaining a professional online presence alongside writing effective CVs and biographies.
• Creating a portfolio career: Understanding how performance, teaching, outreach, competitions, cover work, and self-produced projects can work together to build experience and income.
• Understanding the business of opera: Practical guidance on contracts and fee negotiation, working with agents, and knowing your value as you begin your professional career alongside practical advice on visas, working internationally, and making the most of young artist programmes and festivals.
• Finding and making opportunities: Identifying funding, young artist programmes, festivals, and collaborations, and learning when to pitch ideas, apply for projects, and say yes (or no) to opportunities
• Finance for freelanceers: Advice on record keeping and a thorough explanation of Making Tax Digital.