Creative Industries - HOW MUCH?
Description
HOW MUCH? is an interactive workshop experience designed to equip artists with knowledge, tools and confidence around negotiating fees.
Led by circus director Debby Maziarz and performance maker Kate Sulan, this workshop invites artists into a playful, hands-on exploration of financial empowerment. Through improvisation, role play, games and storytelling, participants encounter real-world scenarios – negotiating fees, saying no and articulating value.
HOW MUCH? offers a generous space to interrogate limiting beliefs, rehearse new behaviours and experiment with language, agency and choice
Who It’s For?
Perfect for artists and creatives across any artform, genre or career stage who encounter the question ‘How Much’ for their time, services or products.
What to expect:
Interactivity (by invitation)
Peer learning
This is not financial advice
We will not tell you what to charge
Light lunch
You will leave with:
A simple formula for working out a base cost
A list of questions to ask before providing a quote
Approaches for figuring out a pricing system
A template for developing a personalised value statement
Language and phrases for navigating requests for discounts or unpaid work
Case studies from artists who are experienced at negotiation
Money principles that align with your practice
Less fear and more curiosity when someone asks, "How much?”
Travel
The Hurstbridge Hub is easily accessible within a 5-minute flat walking distance from the Hurstbridge Train Station.
Car Parking also available on-site and within the walking distance.
Please note that due to the capped numbers of this event, a $10 refundable holding fee is required at the time of booking. The holding fee will be processed for refunded within 2 working days of the event, subject to your attendance. Any cancellations must be notified within 72 hours of the event ie by Wednesday 21 October 2026. Cancellations within 72 hours or No Shows will forfeit the $10 holding fee.
Agenda
- 9:45 am - 10:15 am
Arrival Time
Come early to grab a tea or coffee and meet fellow participants prior to a 10.15am start.
- 10:15 am - 12:45 pm
Work Shop
Interactive workshop with role plays, games and storytelling to experiment and rehearse new ways to talk about money.
- 12:45 pm - 1:30 pm
Light Lunch and Networking
Continue the conversation with fellow creatives over a light lunch.
Lineup
Debby Maziarz
Debby Maziarz, is an award-winning leader and creative entrepreneur providing leadership and business development support for creatives and communities. In 1996 Debby founded Westside Circus (Circus Nexus), a leading social circus enterprise for young people. She was CEO/Artistic Director from 1996 - 2010, resourcing the organisation’s growth and directing large-scale physical theatre works with young people and communities. In 2010 Debby established Debby Maziarz Productions to further build the capacity of artists and organisations to realise their big ideas. Debby is a recipient of an Australia Council CACD Fellowship (2016 – 2017) and an Australia Council Creative Community Fellowship (2019 – 2020) in partnership with National Arts Strategies. In 2023 she participated in The Art and Practice of Leadership Development at the Harvard Kennedy School, USA.
Kate Sulan
Kate Sulan is a performance maker, dramaturge and facilitator based in Naarm, Melbourne. Kate was the founding Artistic Director of Rawcus, an award-winning ensemble of performers with diverse minds, bodies and imaginations and led the company for 22 years (2000-2022). Kate is also a long-term collaborator with Back to Back Theatre. She has worked with the company as a co-devisor, dramaturge and director and toured extensively with the company. Kate has collaborated on many new works across theatre and performance. Companies she has worked with include Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Restless Dance Company, The Women’s Circus, Polyglot, Aphids, Western Edge, Stuck Pigs Squealing, Melbourne Fringe, The Centre for Reworlding, Arts House with the multiyear Refuge project, A Climate for Art, Browns Mart, BEAT entertainment, State Theatre SA and Darpana (India). Kate is currently a lecturer in Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts and is the Chair of Theatre Network Australia. Kate has an Advanced Diploma in Group Facilitation (Groupwork Centre) and is a trained mediator (Resolution Institute).
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity