After predicting my career’s final demise in 2013 – 2014 due to my complete disillusionment with the art world, in 2015 it seemed all was not lost. Although I have wasted an entire year with the LAN still not constituted, a series of fully funded peer to peer networking workshops took place at The Collection, which helpfully paid off my overdraft.
They were followed by an interview for BBC Look North on arts education, then a series of workshops at Waddington All Saints School that led to a one day exhibition at Future Fest.
In looking at the year, I did notice that in February I’d started work on a series of double page illustrations for Cloudbusting, but since then, I’ve been so busy to get much done for it. However, since Future Fest, I’ve been busy preparing a new Kickstarter relaunch for Cloudbusting, which I’m planning to launch in February this year.
I’ve set up a new Youtube channel, to start to promote the video, and all information is in this blog: http://helendearnleyillustration.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/new-cloudbusting-kickstarter-video.html
The LAN constitution is now a top priority for 2016.
Having gone away for Christmas, upon my return I received a letter from HMRC about changes to Working Tax Credit for self-employed people. It says “to be eligible for Working Tax Credit you should be getting paid, or expect to get paid, for the self-employed work you do in your trade, profession or vocation.
Apparently it needs to be done on a commercial basis, with a view to making a profit.
This means that although I’ve done some workshops last year, which has been really great, I really need to have more regular work coming in, more successful funding applications, and paid opportunities this year.
