Mentorships

Guildhouse runs Catapult, a career development mentorship program for South Australian artists, craftspeople and designers. The program provides creative professionals with essential support for career progression through a six-to-eight-month mentorship. Find out more about the Catapult program here.

Mentorships are an excellent opportunity for artists to develop their practice. When established well, they provide a unique and often exclusive learning opportunity that supports the development of new skills. Mentorships can occur through a formalised external program, or be self-directed by the mentor and mentee. This toolkit helps participants manage expectations and create a mentorship that’s fruitful for all parties.

Identifying your aims and goals
Reflect on your current practice and where you want to be positioned within the industry. What goals do you need to set to attain that position? Consider the specific skills you want to acquire that will assist in achieving these goals. Is it creative techniques or business knowledge? This will help in identifying your potential mentor. Ensure you have adequate time available for the mentorship. Time spent with your mentor is a small part of the process, and you will need to continue working on building your skills outside of that time.

Choosing a mentor
A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser. When selecting a mentor, consider the following:

• What experience can the mentor bring to my practice?
• What qualities of the mentor’s work would my practice benefit from?
• What are my career goals and how would my proposed mentor align with them?
• Does the mentor have the capacity to take on a mentee?

Choose a mentor who is not only supportive but challenging. Being open to critical feedback is foundational to generative mentorships. Conversely, mentorships have the potential to be incredibly rewarding to the mentor. The opportunity for reciprocal learning and knowledge sharing makes for a fruitful chance to expand one’s practice.

How do I approach my mentor?
If you’re familiar with the mentor, present a short but concise plan for the mentorship. Outline your objectives, aspirations and what you hope their role will contribute and provide to your practice. From the outset, establish the structure (i.e. contact time) and their fee.
If you do not personally know your mentor, opt for an introductory email that outlines your experience, practice, the proposed mentorship structure and what is expected from both parties.  Guildhouse provides assistance to Community and Accredited members and may be able to support in identifying a mentor and early introductions.

Tips for mentees
Be clear in your needs but be flexible with outcomes. There may be some unexpected results as your mentorship runs its course, so remain open to the process. Respect your mentor and remain committed. Demonstrate that the mentor’s time is valued and that you’re thoughtfully engaging. The mentor will critique your practice and methodology, so be open to feedback. You will need to prepare for critical dialogue and constructive criticism. It is reasonable to not agree with all the advice a mentor provides. Discuss such areas openly and remain receptive to each other’s perspectives.

Tips for mentors
Be genuine and generous. Provide advice that supports and challenges the mentee. Research the mentee and check that their professional practice goals are in line with your experience. Be clear in your expectations, potential deliverables and the project timeline.  Be forthcoming about the trials and tribulations in your practice, including your own mistakes. Providing a realistic picture of your work will allow the mentee to glean insight into the multifaceted nature of creative practice.

Funding a mentorship
Paid mentoring opportunities are available through various arts organisations. Stay up to date by subscribing to email newsletters or follow their social media for information about callouts. Funding through government and philanthropic grants is also applicable. If you’re undertaking unfunded or informal professional development support, this toolkit still applies.

Mentorship budgeting
See our budget toolkit for more budget advice.
When listing expenditure, consider the number of work hours for both parties, travel expenses, material expenses. Income will include the mentorship fee from the funding organisation and any other additional income streams (grants or personal monies) dedicated to the mentorship. 

Navigating challenges
Things don’t always go to plan, so it’s important to be adaptable. Always keep an open line of communication and be sure to discuss any issues as soon as they arise. Be clear about the difference between opposing opinions on subjective or creative issues, and the issues that might be preventing your mentorship from progressing and reaching its full potential. Set milestone dates throughout the mentorship to ensure you are collectively achieving goals. Ensure to formalise an end date at the outset of your mentorship so there are clear parameters to work toward.

Guildhouse Community and Accredited members are eligible for Advice Bank sessions. Discuss a range of topics with Guildhouse’s experienced art professionals, including; grant funding applications, professional documentation, marketing, communications, artist opportunities and more. Contact us for more information.