Chestnut Creek School of the Arts is accepting reservations until January 9 for area artisans wishing to participate in instructor orientation.

Take your art to a new dimension. Recreate yourself as an artisan-instructor. Chestnut Creek School of the Arts (CCSA) is prepared to assist you! All area musicians, artists, and crafts people are invited to participate in a life-altering experience on January 22, 2009 from 5:00 to
9:00 PM at Crossroads Institute, East Stuart Drive in Galax.

Dinner will be served by Squealers Barbeque (including vegetarian entrees) promptly at 5:00 PM with comments from Dr. Oliver McBride, Crossroads Executive Director and board member for CCSA, about the scope of teaching opportunities through CCSA for anyone who has mastered their art form, but who may not have thought about sharing that mastery with others.

In addition to networking with experienced instructors, you will have the opportunity to network with fellow artisans, discuss what is working and what is not working with them, share trade secrets and generally learn from your peers.

After the dinner and networking hour, the evening will be arranged in 40 minute sessions in which you may attend each of three very helpful break-out exercises focusing on marketing and self-promotion.

A very gifted English teacher has been retained to give you guidance in writing an intriguing bio and course description. Chuck Riedhammer, Tourism and Economic Development for the City of Galax, will be present to assist in snappy ways to promote yourself and your class. Assistants will be available to help with basic computer skills and allow you to easily save
your work in a professional manner. You are also welcome to bring a jump drive to copy your work.

CCSA has hired a professional photographer to capture everyone's best image for their portfolios. The school will use this professional image to promote your classes for the school through their website and printed materials. Bring your instrument and/or your art form, or dress as you would to perform/create your art work. CCSA will also burn CDs for all
participants.

The evening will wrap up with a short question and answer session, and a brief introduction to the second skill development meeting that will cover such topics as teaching tips, syllabus writing, how to structure/format a class, down-time activities, how to time the length of a class and many other possible subjects.

The evening is free and open to all. A reservation is required no later than January 9. For more information or to reserve your place, please call CCSA at (276) 236-3500 or email to penny@chestnutcreekarts.org . This preparation for area artisan-instructors is being sponsored by The Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development that awarded CCSA a Seed Capacity Building Grant from the Office of Community Capacity Building (OCCB), to begin the journey of achieving organizational effectiveness through building capacity. Building the capacity of area artisans and encouraging opportunities to enhance their income stream is vital to the mission of the school and the
grant.