James Coutts » Life/Work http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk Arts marketing with infectious enthusiasm Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:39:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Edinburgh Jelly http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2009/10/30/edinburgh-jelly/ http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2009/10/30/edinburgh-jelly/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:54:13 +0000 jamescoutts http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/?p=124 I’m promoting the first Edinburgh Jelly. Find out what/where/when. I’m booking myself a day off from the office. With my trusty netbook the Jelly will provide wifi, a chair, new people and the chance to finally write about (and do some!) online gambling. Come along if you can.

[UPDATE: We had a good turnout for a first event. In the end I went to Newcastle to pitch a seminar, so didn't make it. Interested in hosting or coming to the next one in January?]

]]> http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2009/10/30/edinburgh-jelly/feed/ 0 Getting an arts marketing job http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2008/12/19/getting-an-arts-marketing-job/ http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2008/12/19/getting-an-arts-marketing-job/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:33:02 +0000 jamescoutts http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/?p=116 I’m often asked ‘how do I get a job in arts marketing?’.  Some come from the commercial world and want to move into a sector that means more to them. Others think that working in the arts will be a softer option -  less ruthless than the commercial sector. However, most agree that jobs in the arts are harder – you have more responsibility (for less pay), need to do more with less resources and are more accountable.

My tips are:

  • Get work experience in the field (do you have a friend who needs an exhibition organised, or their band promoted? Swap your help for something to talk about on your application)
  • Demonstrate you’re serious about the sector – stay current (do training/get qualifications such as arts/cultural management, read the arts magazines)
  • Make sure that everything you do (paid or unpaid) is strategic – ‘I had this problem, came up with this solution, got this result. This is what I learned, this is what I’d do different next time’. Keep operating like that – write about it in your applications, talk about it in interviews and you’ll get lucky.

After each interview, I write down the questions I was asked that I didn’t expect. The next time I go for an interview, I dig out the questions and rehearse answers. Ones will come up that you don’t know, but you’ll do a whole lot better for having a bank of answers in your head.

My top questions to be ready for are:

  • What do you see are the strengths of this company?
  • What are the key challenges for this company’?
  • What are the key challenges for you in this role?
  • What improvements would you make to our marketing?
  • What is your most significant achievement?
  • Talk to us about our brand
  • Tell us more about our audience – what do you know about them?
  • How would you increase income/attendances at our company?
  • Tell us about a time you used a creative approach to solve a problem?
  • Can you tell us when you have used research findings to influence your marketing activity?
  • How do you compare our brand to X competitor?

The places I look for arts/charity or cause-related marketing jobs are:

]]> http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2008/12/19/getting-an-arts-marketing-job/feed/ 0 New Job http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/04/09/new-job/ http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/04/09/new-job/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:36:09 +0000 jamescoutts tag:www.jamescoutts.co.uk,2007://1.35 After the most intense interview ever, in April I started as marketing manager for National Museums Scotland. Home of Dolly, Concorde and where I spent most of my childhood, art college and more recent years!

]]> http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/04/09/new-job/feed/ 0 Thirty http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/01/27/thirty/ http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/01/27/thirty/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2007 10:32:58 +0000 jamescoutts tag:www.jamescoutts.co.uk,2007://1.33 My 30th gathering takes place tonight, 27 Jan from 7pm at The Village, 16 South Fort Street, Edinburgh, EH6 4DN (on the 7, 14 and 21 bus route). Hope to see some of you there.

UPDATE: A great night was had by all I think – lovely to see so many people and catch up. If you came along thank you.

]]> http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2007/01/27/thirty/feed/ 0 That Was the Year That Was: 2006 http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2006/12/10/that-was-the-year-that-was-2006/ http://www.jamescoutts.co.uk/2006/12/10/that-was-the-year-that-was-2006/#comments Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:22:43 +0000 jamescoutts tag:www.jamescoutts.co.uk,2006://1.30 The end of 2006 is nigh. This year has been a busy one – getting married, a honeymoon in Moscow and St Petersburg, doing up a home out of the city, selling it and buying a new one in the city and making it over too. Visiting New York twice, and San Francisco once, for work. Staging an exhibition of world-class designers in the real world, and four virtually. Public speaking became an addiction – I love the pressure and working with an audience. In the next year I’m going to have a good 30th birthday (scary!), I’ll start the print series based on office life I’ve been talking about for two years, get fitter and travel and work internationally. It would also be great to get at least three of the ebooks I’ve been mulling over out the door on arts marketing topics.

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