Future-proof your skills with How To days
Writing engaging copy takes thought, understanding, creativity and skill. In this ‘How To’ day, we’ll focus on what you need to consider, understand and apply so you can write great copy that draws your audiences in.
Throughout the day we’ll guide you through how your organisation’s brand drives the way you communicate; having confidence in your organisation’s tone of voice; crafting great email and social copy; and creating an inclusive welcome for everyone through the language you use.
When: Wednesday 26 March 2025
How To Day — Copywriting is an online event that will take place on Wednesday 26 March 2025.
The day will run from 10:00am — 3:00pm, with a break for lunch and other short screen breaks throughout.
If you have any access requirements, please contact Abby, our Events Manager: abby@a-m-a.co.uk
Why attend?
The day will give you practical tools and skills that you can apply right away.
You’ll be led by expert copywriters who will share examples from the arts sector and beyond, you’ll try your hand at creating great copy yourself, and you’ll have the opportunity to work together with your peers, ask questions and share ideas.
What will I gain?
- Skills in crafting compelling, inclusive copy across different platforms / media
- Practical techniques for storytelling and creating engaging content
- Understanding of brand and its importance to tone of voice
- Hands-on experience creating attention-grabbing copy
Cost
Early Bird Member rate: £70 + VAT
Rate available until 10 February 2025
Standard Member rate: £130 + VAT
Rate available from 11 February 2025
Small Organisation / Freelance / Between Jobs Member rate: £70 + VAT
Non-member rate: £175 + VAT
Online booking for this event has now closed. If you would like a last-minute place at this event, please contact jemma@a-m-a.co.uk
Questions?
Get in touch with Jemma, the AMA’s Sales and Marketing Manager, and she’ll be happy to help.
jemma@a-m-a.co.uk
Who is it for?
How To days provide instructive, practical information and skills for arts marketers to put to use straight away. They are a space to take on the nuts-and-bolts skills all arts marketers need to have, in a friendly and supportive online environment.
This is the first in a new series of events. We hope to announce futher How To days covering different topics over the coming months.
Timetable
10:00am — 10:10am
Welcome
An AMA host will welcome you to the event, outline the format for the day and introduce you to your ‘How To’ journal.
10:10am — 11:00am
Brand — the foundation of great copywriting
Before we can write with confidence, we need to understand who we are and the stories we want to tell. In this session you’ll think about this, and how it affects your organisation’s tone of voice. Who are we talking to and how and when should we adapt our tone? And how do we strike a balance between clear information and emotional connection?
What will I gain?
- The right questions to ask your colleagues
- A clearer sense of tone of voice
- Confidence to really speak to your target audience
Speaker:
Jo Taylor, Fly a Kite
11:00am — 11:10am
Screen Break
11:10am — 12:10pm
Writing for emails and socials
The copy we write is shared across a wide variety platforms, each with their own quirks and restrictions. Whilst a ‘one size fits all’ approach seems like it might save time, it can negatively impact the engagement of our hard-crafted copy.
In this session, Jemma and Florence will share tips on how to structure and adapt your copy to drive engagement, regardless of the platform you are using. Jemma will explore the role of structure and content in crafting impactful emails, and Florence will discuss how to adapt copy for different social platforms that stands out from the crowd.
What will I gain?
- Advice on how to structure your copy to increase engagement
- Platform-specific tips for your social posts
- A chance to try out what you’ve learnt with a short exercise
Speakers:
Jemma Green, AMA
Florence Bell, Young Vic
12:10pm — 12:20pm
Screen Break
12:20pm — 1:10pm
Don’t panic! Inclusive copywriting without the anxiety
As marketers, we need to connect with our audiences on a personal level. When we write thoughtfully, we can build belonging and create space for people to show up as themselves. But if we get things wrong, we can exclude and alienate people.
Many of us end up over-thinking the challenges, becoming overly rigid and missing out on opportunities to connect. In this session, Ettie will break down how you can become a more inclusive communicator by being open, self-compassionate and comfortable making and learning from mistakes.
What will I gain?
- Confidence in using inclusive, accessible language
- Understanding of the core dos and don’ts
- A deeper understanding of why it’s important
Speaker:
Ettie Bailey-King, Fighting Talk
1:10pm — 2:00pm
Lunch
2:00pm — 2:40pm
Crafting compelling copy
In this session we will recap what we’ve covered so far, and you’ll put your new skills to work in structured pratical exercises.
What will I gain?
- Confidence to break out of old habits
- Understanding of what works well for you
- The chance to try out what you’ve learned through the day
- Trainer and peer feedback
Speaker:
Jo Taylor, Fly a Kite
2:40pm — 3:00pm
What next?
Your AMA host will recap the key takeaways from the day and share additional resources / tools that will help you on your copywriting journey.
Speakers
Jo Taylor
Director, Fly a Kite
Jo has worked in the arts for 30 years. She founded Fly a Kite in 2024 helping cultural organisations build their fanbase using effective brand strategies and audience insight. Previously she was Director of Audiences at Rambert, successfully growing and diversifying Rambert’s fanbase. She was a Director at Morris Hargreaves McIntyre for 10 years and spent 18 years in marketing roles for festivals, venues and touring companies including senior roles at Welsh National Opera and Wales Millennium Centre.
Florence Bell
Social Media Manager, Shakespeare’s Globe
Florence is a marketer who specialises in organic social media for the non-profit sector. Her previous work includes leading on social media and video content for the Young Vic Theatre in London, alongside freelance social media strategy and audit work, marketing at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond and media relations for ZOO and MultiStory (both at the Edinburgh Fringe).
Jemma Green
Sales & Marketing Manager, AMA
Jemma has been working in marketing for over 15 years. Her career started at the Gordon Craig Theatre, a council-owned receiving house in Stevenage, as Press and Publicity Co-Ordinator. For the past 7 years, Jemma has been working for the AMA, marketing our events and leading on comms. It is here that she discovered her passion for brand work, bringing the AMA’s personality to life through our comms and newsletters.
Ettie Bailey-King
Inclusive and Accessible Communication Educator
Ettie is an inclusive and accessible communication educator. She works with organisations including Amnesty International, Wellcome, Savills, Global Witness and Girlguiding, helping them to ditch their fear around inclusive language and accessibility. On the inclusive language side, she particularly focuses on LGBTQIA+ inclusive language, Disability, sexual orientation, race and more. On the accessibility side, she helps people to create content that works better for everybody, whether they are Disabled, neurodivergent, tired or distracted.
