Australian artists seeking to promote their art nationally and internationally can now access helpful market development tools on the Australia Council’s website.

Australia Council Director Market Development Collette Brennan said the new tools were created after a series of market development workshops hosted by the Australia Council across the country earlier this year.

The workshops were held to help artists and arts organisations plan their national and international market development activities, Ms Brennan said.

Participants discussed the resources required to reach national and international markets, the opportunities available to artists and arts organisations both here and overseas and how to create a plan that is strategic and sustainable.

The workshops were attended by more than 40 representatives from performing arts companies, including producers, artistic directors and general managers, and were led by Paul McGill from Maakan.

Industry peers provided input into the workshops’ development and delivery, including Simon Abrahams, Rachael Azzopardi, Sandy Collins, Yaron Lifshitz, Rachel Maza, Teena Munn and Alice Nash.

Their valuable experience and the information gathered during these workshops has been used to create these innovative online tools.

Ms Brennan said the online tools had been designed in chapter form to individually address the major questions raised at the workshops, but they could be read as a complete package.

There are also slides, vox pops and templates for those who want to get hands-on and interactive with their planning, Ms Brennan said.

The material has a performing arts focus, but many of the tips are transferrable to other art forms, such as music, visual arts and literature.

The online tools are available at https://marketdevelopmentskills.creative.gov.au

The Australia Council’s Market Development section supports artists and arts organisations to distribute their work and connect to audiences here and abroad.

Market development programs aim to support Australian artists and arts organisations with their business planning, take the work of artists to markets, with a particular focus on opportunities in Asia, and seed collaborations and relationships to drive national and international activity.