Working smarter, not harder
If you know me, you know that that is my touchstone. And honestly, most of these attendees have a good head start on leveraging their various channels and networks to mobilise primary income streams.
Facebook, WhatsApp and actual face to face encounters are among the primary means of communicating around here.
Still, there are a number of cost-free tools available that can make a world of difference towards efficient and high quality communication of which the participants aren’t necessarily aware. We spend some time sharing a few of them in hopes of helping to stream line some steps in the communication chain. Automation is the name of the game.
Path of least resistance
Daniel also raises the concept of adopting communication methods which offer the “path of least resistance” towards getting a response from our targeted counterparts. A lively discussion ensues and a number of solutions are proposed - each tailored to a specific target audience.
Show me the money
Since the start of this workshop series, participants have bemoaned the typical artist’s gripe about how expensive it is to aspire to excellence, and how difficult to obtain necessary resources, including funding.
Better together
Again in the interest of working smarter, not harder - we suggest that if they’re experiencing common difficulties, surely they can band together to achieve some common solutions?
There’s even the representative of a local, artist-run,organization - ZAM - whom we ask to give us all a better idea of what the organization has to offer. Another lively discussion ensues including some airing of grievances as to how grants seem to be awarded and to whom.
And yet - now that the discussion has been brought to the table, and the dirty laundry has been aired… it appears there might be just an inkling of a possible entente… And as we break for lunch, I am extremely moved to find the “warring” parties have sat down together outside, on their own impetus, and are deep in a non-conflictual solution-based discussion!
Our work is done here!
Well, at least as far as the workshop goals are concerned 👍🏽
Now let’s jam!
So after lunch after touching on the suggested topic of advocacy through the arts, which again, the attendees seem to have a pretty good handle on, we shift back into show and tell mode and simply take turns sharing our music with each other. Gospel, rap, and traditional Zambian folk styles weave their way in amongst some classic American jazz, blues and soul stylings and a grand time is had by all. 💜🎶
