Next ACCELERATOR
cohort runs
3 January - 28 March 2025

WELCOME

The new Work Show Grow accelerator is a carefully curated programme designed for artists ready to transform their creative work. This programme offers more than just guidance; it’s a comprehensive 12-week journey that arms you with critical tools, insights, and a supportive network, all aimed at elevating your artistic practice and disseminating your work with new confidence.

As you contemplate embarking on this transformative programme, envision a future where your work is not just seen but celebrated, where challenges transform into stepping stones towards success.

As part of the programme you will have Natasha Caruana as a personal mentor AND Eleanor Hatch-Robinson will be your coach. Together they will guide you through each step, ensuring your creative project is realised and recognised. 

WHAT
IS
THE
PROGRAMME?

➽  EXPANSION ACCELERATOR is a 12-week accelerator which will get your completed or near-completed project out into the world.

➽  The programme focuses on one-to-one mentorship and coaching, community support and professional development. It will provide the tools and tactics for real-world success.

➽  The programme will ensure that your practice is making a real impact. Imagine seeing your work showcased in a gallery, or receiving that email confirming your project’s funding.

➽ You’ll be mentored by Natasha, an artist that has had her work celebrated in solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including prestigious venues like the International Center of Photography in New York and Rencontres d’Arles in France. Her projects have attracted significant public and private funding.

➽ You'll be coached by Eleanor, whose strategic media background informs her coaching style, creating a safe yet invigorating space that catalyses significant personal growth. She utilises esteemed methods such as Nancy Kline's Time to Think and the GROW model.

With the EXPANSION accelerator, you’re not just moving through a programme; you’re embarking on an in-depth journey of Self Awareness, Strategy, and Action.

This carefully structured programme is designed to empower artists like you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to showcase your work on a larger stage.

Over the course of three distinct sections, we’ll guide you through understanding your artistic goals, developing a solid plan to elevate your existing work, and taking decisive steps to get your work out there and make an impact in the world.

Let’s bring your project into the spotlight it deserves.

TESTIMONIALS

Ania Ready

➽ Ania Ready: “Joining Work Show Grow has transformed my art practice. Suddenly, I became part of a large international group of artists with a shared sense of purpose – to create work and to develop professionally and personally. 

➽ Whilst in the school I’ve used the monthly crit feedback to finalise my first artist book, launched a kickstarter, attended my first artist residency and pitched myself for numerous opportunities I would’ve never have been confident to do without expert mentors and other artists around me.

Overview of wrap-around support:

FOCUSED ONE-TO-ONE MENTORSHIP: Transformative impact of having Natasha Caruana as your mentor, meeting with you monthly.

YOUR OWN PERSONAL ONE-TO-ONE LIFE COACH: These monthly sessions are your opportunity to delve deep, and overcome any obstacles with expert advice. 

EXTENSIVE WORKSHOP: Monthly session where you’ll learn all things marketing strategies and funding planning.

MONTHLY HOT SEAT: A time for the intimate peer group to come together to share, strategise and learn from each other’s challenges. 

FACILITATED CRITS WITH NATASHA CARUANA: Monthly peer crits are an integral way to receive feedback and grow confidence in presenting your work.

GROUP WHATSAPP: a network of like-minded and motivated artists offering
community support at your fingertips 24/7.

IN-PERSON MEET UP: There will be an undeniable energy in being part of this collective. These are your people, sharing in the highs and lows, offering fresh perspectives and support. 

Our special in-person event is designed to deepen your connection with your cohort, fostering lasting support and friendships beyond the Expansion programme. The schedule includes a warm welcome in the library, a delicious lunch with a panoramic view of the London skyline, a progress screening and celebration in the cinema, and concludes with drinks and nibbles in the rooftop bar. For those unable to attend in person, we will arrange alternative ways to participate.

The event, which concludes the accelerator, will take place directly across from East Croydon Station. It is easily accessible with direct train links from Central London, Gatwick, and beyond, with a range of accommodation options nearby.

Worried about balancing the accelerator with your schedule? Our flexible learning environment is created to support busy artists who are juggling multiple responsibilities. 

Elevate Your Work
Strategies to get your project out there. 

This opportunity is for 8 - 14 talented artists only and is on an application basis. To apply click HERE for details of what we need from you. 

NATASHA
CARUANA

MENTOR

Natasha Caruana is an award winning and internationally recognised artist and educator. She works across photography, moving image, and installation. She has had solo shows at the International Center of Photography, New York; Paris Photo; and Rencontres d’Arles, France and has been in group shows at Turner Contemporary, Margate; Institut pour la Photographie, Lille, France; FACT, Liverpool, UK, Nicéphore Niépce Museum, France; Science Gallery, London; and The Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney.

Natasha has been a passionate educator, and for the past 15 years has taught in universities across the world. She is a Senior Lecturer of Photography and holds a part-time post at University of the Arts London. Natasha has an MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art, London and is a member of the Higher Education Academy. She was the first and only one to go to university in her family and has never forgotten the freedom education has brought to her life. She founded Work Show Grow in 2018 to educate and inspire creatives outside of the traditional educational system. Natasha’s speciality is her positive attitude, ability to bring people together, and telling it how it is.

ELEANOR
HATCH-ROBERTSON

COACH

Eleanor Hatch-Robertson brings extensive experience from her dynamic career in media and transformational leadership to her role as a coach supporting the EXPANSION ACCELERATOR. With a degree in Publishing from Oxford Brookes University, Eleanor embarked on her journey with freelance projects across television and advertising for leading fashion, food, and lifestyle brands such as Dazed, Hello!, and Vogue. This path led her to a creative production role at Stylist Magazine, before she moved to NewsUK in 2016. Within this organisation, she has advanced to her current position as Director of Development for Group Operations & Platforms. Throughout her career, Eleanor has refined her expertise in resilience, adapting to change, and navigating professional landscapes.

Eleanor’s coaching ethos centres on providing an authentic and nurturing environment for creatives to discover their inherent strengths and perspectives. She specialises in fostering resilience, guiding individuals through change, and offering actionable strategies to cultivate unbreakable self-belief. Known for effecting meaningful transformations, Eleanor enables individuals to achieve clarity, confidence, and personal growth. As an accredited coach with iCoach EMCC/EIA, Eleanor adheres to a strict code of ethics, ensuring a reliable and impactful coaching experience.

TESTIMONIALS

Anne Nwakalor

➽ “When I joined WSG, I was starting my magazine. WSG was the push I needed to put my ideas into action! The support I’ve received from the WSG community has been essential in being able to publish ‘No! Wahala’ Magazine and distribute it to various educational spaces and community centres across the world.

➽ I’ve learnt so much from the sessions from both Natasha and the guest artists, especially when it comes to being confident about my goals, applying for funding and networking with other artists and industry professionals”.

To maximise the benefits of the EXPANSION ACCELERATOR, it’s important to understand the commitment required both for scheduled contact hours and for independent work. The programme is designed to be flexible, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly into your existing schedule. However, to truly embrace the full experience, you’ll need to dedicate a specific amount of time each week to both contact hour sessions and independent dissemination activities.

The independent work hours are estimated, providing you with a guideline of the time investment needed on a weekly basis. Please remember, these hours are not about blocking out a full day or morning in one go; rather, you have the autonomy to decide how best to allocate this time around your other commitments. This flexibility ensures that you can engage with the programme material in a way that suits your personal and professional life.

Here will find detailed breakdowns of the required monthly overview for contact sessions and for independent work within the programme materials. This total has been broken down to a weekly estimate. Remember, your investment in time is crucial to unlocking the full potential of this accelerator. We trust you to manage this commitment, and our team is here to support you in organising and making the most out of every moment you dedicate to your growth through this programme.

Monthly Contact hours
1 hour – Mentorship
1 hour – Coaching
1 hour – Hot Seat
2 hours – Workshop

Monthly Independent hours
1 hour – Mentorship prep
1 hour – Coach prep
4 hours – Crit prep
4 hours – WSG school Resources
                Library replays
16 hours – Dissemination activities

Weekly estimated commitment:
6 - 8 hrs approx.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application Requirements:

Submit a PDF portfolio (40mb maximum) 

Images of the completed or near-complete body of work you will be focusing on for the accelerator, with a maximum of 20 images. For multimedia artists or those with works not fully represented by images, please include a link to a maximum of 10 minutes of material showcasing your work. 

Statement that outlines an introduction to your project, your motivation for joining the accelerator, and what you hope to achieve through the programme (500 - 750 words maximum). 

Artist CV including education, list of recent achievements and exhibition history. 

Your contact details and links to your website and/or social media. 

PDF size: 40mb maximum 

PDF named as: First Name, Last Name 

Email subject: Expansion Accelerator Application 

Submit to: hello@workshowgrow.com 

Application deadline: Friday 20 December 7pm GMT+1 

If you require submission via alternative means such as audio or video due to accessibility requirements, please contact us at hello@workshowgrow.com and someone will be in touch to discuss a suitable format for your application.

Accelerator starts: Friday 3 January 

To Join Our Programme:

To-Do Checklist:

  1. Read through all the details

  2. Prepare your Portfolio Pdf

  3. Complete the application form

TESTIMONIALS

Louise Francis Smith

➽ “WSG has been so valuable to my practice. After taking part in the Funding workshop I felt confident enough to apply for DYCP Arts Council funding and was successful!  This totally changed how I was working and gave me a confidence boost to apply for exhibitions that I didn’t think I would have a chance of getting into but I was accepted for.

➽ Being part of the WSG community has been a brilliant and supportive experience (both personally and for my practice) and has helped me prepare for things like putting on my first solo show. 

➽ I would highly recommend WSG to anyone who is wanting to take their practice further but is not quite sure how to make that happen. I’ve learnt so much more than I did on my Fine Art degree and it’s certainly given me more confidence”.

Embarking on the EXPANSION ACCELERATOR represents a transformative
investment in both your personal and professional growth as an artist.

If your application is successful, We understand the importance of flexibility in managing this investment, which is why we offer payment options. Instalment payments are made upon agreement to the legal terms of the plan.

NON-WSG ARTIST
Full Cost: £1,959

WSG ARTIST
Full cost: £1,797


PAYING IN FULL
Payment to be made by Friday 29 November

PAYING BY 4 MONTHLY INSTALMENTS
First payment to be made by Friday 29 November to confirm a place

FAQs

  • As an overview each month there will be; one-to-one mentorship and coaching sessions, facilitated crit, workshop, hot seat, and access to the Expansion artist community 24/7 via WhatsApp. There will also be one in-person meet up.

  • The ideal participants, whether it’s emerging or established, is an artist with a completed or near-completed project who is ready to invest in and actively work towards expanding their reach.

  • If your application is successful, you can opt for instalment payments, which are made upon agreeing to the legal terms of the plan. We currently offer a four-month payment plan. If this doesn't suit your needs, please get in touch to discuss alternative options on a one-to-one basis.

  • No refunds given once the programme has started.

  • To fully benefit from the programme, including attending sessions and working independently, an estimate weekly time commitment required is 8 hours approx. These hours can fit around existing commitments. The programme does not require a full free day a week. We are flexible.

  • A. To secure your place, please book onto an application conversation with Natasha HERE or click the link in our instagram bio. We’re excited about the prospect of working with you. Do keep in mind that spaces in this programme are limited, so we encourage you to secure a call soon.