AUBURN -- It takes more than talent and a paint brush to be a successful artist in today's workplace. It also takes the types of business plans and marketing techniques that were presented at a seminar on Sunday at the Cayuga Community College for local artists looking to create their own business.

While many artists have the skills to be successful from an artistic standpoint, many lack the business finesse to get a company off the ground.

"Starving artists often have wonderful ideas and concepts but they lack the business background to bring their talent and dream to fruition," said Dia Carabajal, president of the board of directors for the Cayuga County Arts Council which hosted the event.

Instead of returning to college for a business degree to compliment their art education, Carabajal said the seminar would give the artists a chance to gain a basic understanding of the skills that are required to be an entrepreneur.

The seminar featured a lecture on how to develop a business plan by Ellie Beck, founder of Management Solutions, a discussion by Theresa Cool, a local artist, about how to build a creative portfolio when applying to college for jobs and a segment about getting free publicity by marketing a product or event to the public by Jane Stebbins, a former journalist.

"We need to every now and then be reminded there are professional elements in our creative lives," said Bourke Kennedy, an aspiring writer. "It's nice to get people from the professional side of the arts that we can tap into for resources."

Kennedy said the seminar also helped to identify her weaknesses and gave her the courage to seek out technical and networking help as she pursued her writing career.

To read the full report see Monday's edition of The Citizen