In this region, the Self Employment For The Arts Conference will be held this weekend at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville 3003 Corporate West Drive Lisle, IL, 60532.   SEA offers six regional conferences, the next couple being in Los Angeles, CA and in Tampa, Florida. Both are slated for April.
 Besides topic specific sessions led by artists, panel discussions and workshops, the conference offers:
Gallery The gallery is a place for visual artists to display their work. The Gallery is open to all types of visual art. You are welcome to leave a manuscript, pottery, painting, photographs, furniture, etc. Entries may also be submitted electronically. A digital slide show will be put together. There will be a Gallery Reception on Friday evening.
One-on-One Sessions Several time slots have been set aside for speakers and attendees to have a chance to meet One-on-One and talk about their art and life goals. No matter what the art – music, literary, theater, etc. – speakers are asked to spend time meeting with attendees for approximately 15 minutes each to go over their art, answer questions, offer advice, and just chat about life goals as a self employed artist. There will also be tables set aside for attendees in the same area to meet with each other in a small group. This is a great networking opportunity and can be one of the most beneficial experiences of the conference. BE SURE TO BRING SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK.
Performances Throughout the conference the audience will be entertained by attendees’ artistic talents. Performances may include dance, music, theatrical sketches, and readings.
Breakfast with the Artists Start your morning out right on Saturday by joining one of the speakers and other attendees for informal conversation. There is no advanced sign-up so make sure to get up early and join in.
Late Night Activity Rooms Friday night is full of fun and networking. Join in one or more of these activities: Create Room, TV/Film Viewing Room, Open Mic, Dance-N-Jam Session, and a Journal Swap. There is also a Gallery Reception, Audition Critiques, and One-on-One Sessions on Friday evening.
Inside the Industry Panels Get an inside look into your industry from experts in the field.
Artist Led Sessions These sessions are led by successful self-employed artists. Topics range greatly and change each year. Topics in the past have included Pricing Your Art, Getting Your Work Published, Fund Raising for Films, Making Time For Success, Finding Representation in Major Market Galleries, The Indie Music Scene, and more. There are also sessions led by Support Professionals such as lawyers and accountants.
