Eat me!
Craft is not ‘other’
This concerns the recent news that the DCMS released a paper in April seeking to remove Craft from the list of recognised UK creative industries. In her piece for the Guardian, Julia Bennett at Crafts Council argues why this is shortsighted and denies the industry and its many aspects the recognition it deserves.
Official statement from Crafts Council:
The Crafts Council will be formally responding to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) consultation ‘Classifying and measuring the creative industries’ which proposes ‘Crafts’ is removed from the categories.
The consultation on a revised classification of the creative industries will close on 14 June.
Owing to the difficulty in capturing an accurate picture of the craft sector through the methods of data collection and classification proposed by DCMS – ‘Crafts’ has been removed as a category.
The Crafts Council’s own research Craft in an Age of Change shows that the estimated craft-related income for contemporary craft-making businesses in 2011 was £457m (larger than spending on music downloads and only slightly smaller than London West End theatres) with a GVA of £220m.
Of the estimated 23,000 businesses, 88% are sole-traders, a number of whom will be under the VAT threshold and thus invisible in the methodology DCMS use to count the creative industries.
The remainder are discounted through other quirks of the international approaches to counting industry categorisation. Goldsmiths, jewellers, glass-makers, pattern-cutters, fashion designers and others are now loosely grouped together in, for example, ‘other’ or ‘manufacturing’ classifications which remain outside the creative industries data.
The Crafts Council has been involved in direct talks with DCMS in recent months and we continue to discuss this specific point with them. We are disappointed that our views have not been taken on board to date but we will continue to work constructively with them while seeking to change their views.
If you have any feedback on this consultation then please email policy@craftscouncil.org.uk by 1 June and we will reflect positions in our response where they are broadly shared.
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We are hiring – are you brilliant at sales and customer service?
We are looking for a proactive person and friendly voice to join our MyCake team as Sales and User Support from 18 April 2013 (handover period) until Jan-Feb 2014 (maternity cover).
The role is part-time (about 8hrs a month) and paid monthly (£200 per month) + commission on sales.
You will be part of a small team of 5 and manage your own time and work. You’ll be expected to be working from home but will be asked to attend monthly team meetings via conference call.
The role:
-inform social media campaigns to increase the number of new users
-contact new and existing users
-provide support to our users via email and phone
-report to Director
-operate MyCake existing CRM system
Requirements:
-be familiar with Kashflow bookkeeping package (although no need to be an accountant or bookkeeper)
-experience of using social media to generate sales
-experience of working within the creative sector
-be comfortable speaking to people over the phone
-be a good and friendly salesperson
How to apply:
Please send your proposals and expressions of interest to support@mycake.org please put ‘Sales and User Support role’ as the email subject header.
Deadline to apply is Friday 12 April 2013.
About MyCake
MyCake is an online book-keeping and financial toolkit for creative businesses. Designed to help manage the financial side of a creative business simply and easily. MyCake also provides a benchmarking function that allows businesses to compare their financials past and present with those of other creative businesses.
MyCake website:
https://www.mycake.org/default.aspx
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Start Me Up! School for Creative Startups Showcase event 23/24 March
This month we are really excited to be a part of the School for Creative Startup’s inaugural event The Startup Showcase, the UK’s premiere startup festival for creative entrepreneurs.
MyCake’s founder Sarah Thelwall will be facing every creative person’s money nightmare, the issue of cashflow head on in her Saturday talk.
Further details on the website:
Cashflow – What you need to know, Saturday 23 March, 1 – 1.45pm
The School for Creative Startups, Startup Showcase
23rd and 24th March | Somerset House, London|
The beautiful embankment galleries at Somerset House will be transformed into a totally unique marketplace showcasing over 100 rising creative talents and industry stalls, running alongside an inspiring professional development talks series hosted by some of the brightest minds in the UK as well as a creative skills workshop programme.
Advanced tickets can be booked now at a discounted rate of £5 for adults and £3 concession on our website www.thestartupshowcase.com
SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Michael Jacobsen, Patricia Van den Akker, Sophie Cornish and other leading industry experts.
WORKSHOPS INCLUDE: Millinery, Activating your Business Mind, The Art of Perfumery, Speed Portfolio Reviewing, Crafting Raw Chocolate and much more…
Tickets
Advanced general admission tickets can be booked now at a discounted rate of £5 for adults and £3 concession on our website www.thestartupshowcase.com or on the day for £7 for adults, £5 concession or £12 two day ticket.
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One to ones with MyCake are free for new customers, just help yourself!
To help you avoid burying your head in the sand about your finances and book keeping Sarah and Marion of MyCake have put together this quick video about how we can help you…
BOOK YOUR ONE TO ONE FOR FEBRUARY OR MARCH WITH MARION ON EVENTBRITE NOW : )
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Alternative financing models: re.volution Hack Day 22 February
We are taking our Culture Benchmark data up to Edinburgh this month for Mission Models Money’s re.volution Hack Day event on Friday 22 February. Registration is open and it is free for MMM re.volution members to attend.
In attendance will be a whole host of arts and culture organisations with a desire to change their approach to financial models and revenue. We’re very much looking forward to helping them interrogate tough questions that all arts organisations should be asking this year. Strong data and strong leadership will be the order of the day. We’ll report back on our thoughts of the day soon.
“Here they talked of revolution, here it was they lit the flame.” Gotta love Les Mis! : )
Other articles about our work with Mission Models Money:
Building Collective Intelligence with the MMM re.volution programme
Fuelling collaborative working with creative organisations
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iZettle keeps cupcakes moving with Crumbs and Doilies
No cash on you but you really need a cupcake? We think what iZettle are doing for small businesses like London based cake bakers Crumbs and Doilies is pretty darn brilliant. Instead of a costly card payment machine iZettle offers businesses a portable solution that plugs into a mobile phone or similar device, it takes card payments via a card swipe app that just needs a wi-fi or 3G connection.
Crumbs and Doilies used to disappoint possible customers by saying they didn’t take cards, but using iZettle has meant they never have to miss out on a sale. This type of embracing of technology is so important to keep a small business moving.
”It’s so handy because it is so portable.” says Jemma Wilson, Crumbs and Doilies founder. “I can take it to any of our market stalls and, provided there is wi-fi or 3G, I can take card payments at last! It’s slick and stylish. And people always remark on what a good idea it is.”
Yes we think it’s a great idea too!
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This lunchtime – why not book yourself onto one of next weeks free tax advice sessions
Tax returns and self assessment can be a money minefield
But with help and advice you can make sure you and your business are on the right track. January is a great month to start getting your finances in order for the year ahead.
Help is at hand this month from MyCake‘s Sarah Thelwall and Peter Czapp, Co-Director of accountancy firm The Wow Company.
There are two free sessions in London next week where Sarah and Peter will provide 20 minute advice slots to MyCake users who are grappling with their book keeping and tax returns. Sessions take place at O2 Workshops just off Tottenham Court Road so do pop down if you could use some face to face advice. Come prepared with your accounts information for us to take a look through.
BOOK FOR FREE BY 10AM, MONDAY 14 JANUARY
Tuesday 15 January – appointments between 4pm and 6pm – Register on Eventbrite
Friday 18 January – appointments between 4pm – 6pm – Register on Eventbrite
Take full advantage, you could easily save yourself £££s by getting the right advice and best out of your book keeping system. We swear by it!
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REMINDER – Free MyCake sessions with our favourite accountants next week!
How are you feeling about your tax return?
Is it the case that you’ve not started it and you still have a big pile of receipts to go through?
You’re mostly done but there are a couple of things you’d like to double check?
How about some free help from MyCake?
Remember that we are running 1:1′s for free in partnership with WOW accounting on the 15th and 18th January in London, between 4-6pm. There is still time to book a 20 minute slot. Hurry though only 1 week to go!!!
If you can’t make it to London and are new to MyCake, remember that you can book a phone 1:1 with Marion: Eventbrite booking page
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MyCake Inspires – Order from Chaos
In this MyCake Inspires video, Sarah shows off how she keeps her receipts in order despite of a messy desk. How do you do yours?
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MyCake Inpires – Commissions
In this MyCake Inspires video, Sarah talks about the commissioning vs selling both from the commissioner and the designer’s perspective.
So a good one to watch if you are asked to do private commissions – and want to look at a beautiful concrete kitchen!
Take a look at David Bucknall’s work.
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