Through the hard work of the CCE organizers and the generosity of our sponsors, CCE is able to give our attendees an unbelievable value. A three-day pass provides you with a deeply useful education and the opportunity to network with world-class speakers and peers (not to mention breakfast and lunch), all for about 10 bucks [...]

Venturing out beyond the online world to sell your wares at art and craft shows can be quite intimidating for many folks. It takes planning, money, time, confidence, and much more. In Meylah’s new eBook, Preparing For Art & Craft Show Success, several topics are covered related to vending at art and craft shows, for example what you should consider when you’re submitting applications, deciding on the items you need to pack and how to set up your booth that customers can’t resist. If you apply these tips to your art and craft show strategy, you will definitely be on your way to succeeding at your next show. The best part? You can download the whole eBook for free!

Can’t wait for CCE to start honing your entrepreneurial skills? Ever wanted to publish a book without the stress of contracts and editorial deadlines? Why not try your hand at publishing an eBook? “Sister” Diane Gilleland, editor-in-chief of Craftzine and CCE speaker, is running her next eBook publishing class beginning next Monday, June 6th. It’s all held online, so you can take it from anywhere in the world! See here for more info.

I’ve worked with creative entrepreneurs for over 20 years and almost all come to me with a case of what I call mission creep.

Mission creep happens when you have a dream idea in mind for your career, but instead of truly focusing on the idea, you choose work around it and as a result make just enough money to survive. I recently had a client who told me her dream was to be a portrait artist. She said, “But being an artist doesn’t work for me. I have to make a living.” She then told me she designs graphics for websites, teaches art at night and paints in her spare time….

CCE speakers Oliver Wise and Eleanor Hanson Wise are putting out a call for curators and artists through their projects, Art Micro-Patronage and The Present Group. If you’d like to learn more about alternative venues for artists, make sure to join the Sunday panel, “Off the Wall: Fine Artists’ Alternatives to the Gallery” with Kelly Jones of Little Paper Planes.

This week’s East Bay Express newspaper, covering the eastern cities along San Francisco Bay, interviews CCE founder Lauren Venell for their feature, “The Recession-Era Entrepreneur.” The article, written by editor Kathleen Richards, explores the trend of Bay Area residents becoming entrepreneurs by necessity. According to Richards:

Due to the economy, slim job prospects, and skyrocketing education costs, more and more young people are finding their fairy-tale careers beyond reach, or simply not on the horizon. As a result, many are supplementing their incomes — or banking entirely on the do-it-yourself route — by starting their own businesses, many within niche or specialized fields.

Why did you decide to start a creative business? Was it a lifelong dream, an economic necessity, or a combination of both? Share your story in the comments.

This Friday, March 18th, come celebrate the launch of A Collection A Day with author, artist, CCE speaker, and all-around wonderful lady, Lisa Congdon. You can get your copy hot off the press and have it signed by Lisa herself, before examining some of the featured collections as part of the accompanying exhibition. Some of Lisa’s highly-coveted original works…

Registration is now open for CCE 2011!  For the deepest experience (and the best value), we recommend the full 3-Day pass, which gets you into every conference session we offer, as well as lunch and a light breakfast on all three days.  Spending the full weekend at CCE really gives you the chance to connect [...]