Mx.D.P

My art practice is all about The Network, part of that is to engage with communities of creatives to establish a more equitable, inclusive and eco-friendly world. Making a reel looks like a straightforward operation, using social media seems easy, but the truth is if you don’t work with the platform’s ideologies no one will see your work. This workshop is about allowing creatives to maximise their access to the social media world.

This was my workshop outline

Social Media Workshop – Sunday 21 July

Brief intro :-

Why we are running this workshop – BorthFest, collaboration and reach.

What IG is and how it works:- algorithms

What we will learn today:-

Reels, #, editing in app and out of app, collaboration posting, cross posting and following.

I made two reels 2 days before the workshop.

One with IG templates, one with my own reel using the same photographs to demonstrate to the group that reels using IG templates get more reach. This was clearly demonstrated in the reel engagement numbers.

On the afternoon of the workshop I made a Facebook live post to remind folks we were doing the workshop.

The workshop was free with no limit on numbers and no booking. We got eight people turn up (a painter, photographer, printmaker, two creative shop owners, two art event organisers and collectors) with Sadie the gallery owner and myself that made ten and the gallery garden was full. If we had more we might have had to go on to the beach. Sadie very generously provided refreshments.

Most participants had brought their smartphones but some didn’t or were on low charge. I didn’t specify bring a charged smartphone mainly because I wanted to find out if they would!

After an introduction pre-amble, I asked the paticipants to go around the garden and gallery and take 10 pictures and a selfie. We then returned to the garden seating area and we all made a IG template reel and I asked them to make me a collaborator, I collaborated mine on to the Borthfest page.

As we went through the edit and posting process we were able to organically talk about hastags, location posting, cross/colab posts, post frequency, timings and shadow bans. I fielded questions from the participants as we went along, it was a friendly, informal and encouraging atmosphere.

We agreed to meet again in September to see how their reel posting and promotion work was getting on.

I sent out the following De-brief questions on DM’s in the evening after the workshop.

‘Thank you for coming to today’s social media workshop.
Did you enjoy the workshop?
Was there enough information for you today?
Was it clearly presented?
Will you be making more reels?
Would you like another workshop in September?’

These were the responses received:-

I really enjoyed the workshop, it worked as a great introduction to IG, reels and more generally social media marketing. The presentation was well paced, taking everyone through the practicalities and giving lots of time for questions. I’ll definitely be making more reels and might even do another tonight! Yep, I’d be keen to come to another workshop later in the year…

Yes. Yes. Probably too much! Yes. Yes please!!

Yes, enjoyed! Plenty of info which was clearly presented and will result in reels! Explained in a relaxed maner which made the info easy to absorb. Diolch!

I think the information you gave could be very useful to me! I will have to take more photos with my phone though to make it easier! Another workshop may well be very handy! Cheers

I really enjoyed the workshop. I understood a lot of what you were saying, I came away knowing more

I’ll definitely be making more reels. I would defo come to another workshop in September

Thank you for running the workshop. It was very informative, I had no idea how to do a reel before and I will definitely be doing more. Very clearly presented, easy to understand. It’d be great to do a follow up in September.

Great intro. Thanks. Loads of info and not too fast. Got a bit lost and then found it again. Your understanding and delivery was just right. Once I work out how to get reels on my iPad I will try. Yes to September.

The workshop was informative, enjoyable,well paced with bite size stages and step by step instruction.I feel more confident to make more reels to promote my artwork.I would really like a further workshop on using social media in September to consolidate learning and to gain confidence on social media networks.

My notes are:- I enjoyed working with the group. I had debated if I should have done an editing app as well as a template post, but on reflection, this was enough. There is a how to do a collaboration post on Borthfest and on my reels, but maybe I should have refreshed that for reference so they can find it. Of course I now have loads of collab posts on my page!

I think they will all be able to make reels over the next eight weeks before the next workshop, and I will do a follow-up DM in the next few weeks. I did mention the idea of a creatives IG page, which I will set up for the next workshop.

We could have more participants next time, and we might have to think about more seating or if the weather is bad. If I do a winter workshop, I would have to look at using the Star of the Sea venue or the Community Centre anyway, which may mean an audio-visual setup, and it would be good to organise a lead-up workshop to the next Borthfest.

I realise that Saving the Earth is a long and complex process and that while politicians and governments fight over resources, skimming off the top of late stage capitalism instead of getting on with Net Zero and sequestering the carbon mess, making community-facing art projects and weaponising art to keep communities together and thriving is an integral part of what is worth saving.