This week with the Wicked Women we delved into asking: What it is about me that is unique as a creative? And how do I articulate it?
My name is Rebecca McGreevy, a Merseyside based theatre-maker, passionate about performing and directing, striving to craft new theatre and devised performance. So far with the Wicked Women programme we have been supporting and celebrating each other as creatives and today was no different…
Starting with a check in around the group we had a moment to take a breath, put aside any busy or stressful times and draw focus to each other in the room; and celebrate any successes within the group this week! This launched straight into a cheerful conversation about what it feels like to have someone else describe your achievements and your unique selling point. As artists I think we find that while we may often be prepping for the interviews, auditions or networking opportunities, we can find it tricky to be proud and positive about what it is that makes us unique as a creative.
So off we went into the heart of today's session: Interviews! As a group we split into two groups: the interviewers and the interviewees. Creating a rota of different kinds of meetings that we may encounter as artists: from the curious peer, to the dreaded funding application questioning. Already we were thinking about how you articulate your work in varying ways, depending on who it is you are describing it to.
For this session I was an interviewer, asking a set of example questions from the point of view of: a person who has viewed your profile, and is curious about the work. Questions like: How do you work? What rates do you charge? Why should I hire you? Seem like interview questions that we should expect, but faced with them unexpectedly is a different matter. It became evident that it takes a lot of confidence and understanding of how to phrase your own practice to really tackle these questions.
That's the best part about this kind of exercise. Being faced with these questions with little time to prep, allowed us to realise what it is that we're unsure about in a supportive environment where we could then start a conversation with the wider group to ask questions and develop our confidence.
So it was just that which led us to the second half of our session: our 'Unique Selling Point'.
A daunting thought to consider for yourself; with fears of being too modest, too bold or just not quite being able to articulate it. Well luckily for us, the task at hand was not so daunting after all, as we in fact were asked to work in partners to find what we think the other person's uniqueness is as a creative.
Working with Emma, we had a look at each other's online profiles, from social media to personal websites. Noting down key phrases and passions that appear, knowingly or not, on each other's sites. I found that while I feel I understand how to articulate skills and experiences in a sort of 'Cover Letter' style, this 'unique selling point' is something much more personal.
Somewhere hidden between the lines of 'what' we do, is the 'why and how', which gives each artist their own drive, passion and traits which makes them unique as a creative.
After delving into uncovering this as partners, we drew back into the full group. In what felt like the most positive circle of affirmation ever, we relayed our thoughts about our partner and their uniqueness as a creative person.
What a wonderfully positive way to end today's session, and also a great way to really hear some new gems of skills and creative passions about the others in the group. Whether I have found quite how to articulate what my unique selling point is yet, I'm not sure, but I do know that through the continued and growing support of the Wicked Women I'll be sure to find it.
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