workshops & facilitation

What if it turns out even better..?

What if it turns out even better..?

Build capability in your creative community.

I help arts organisations, councils, and government bodies build stronger artists and stronger grant applicants through facilitated workshops grounded in 13 years across the arts sector.

Whether you need a single high-impact workshop or a full series of professional development for your creative community, I bring the same thing: deep sector experience, real facilitation skill, and a practical approach your people can actually use.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES

Marketing and audience-building -Most artists can say who their work is for. Far fewer can say how those people actually find out about them. This workshop moves past demographics into psychographics and introduces a three-channel framework for reaching them: publicity, social media, and community engagement. Participants leave understanding which channel suits their goal, where their audience already lives, and which one they can actually sustain. (Originally developed and delivered as part of the Inner West Council Creative Toolbox Program.)

Building a sustainable creative business - Burnout in a creative practice usually isn't a mystery — it's underpricing, single-channel income, and no systems, compounding quietly until something breaks. This workshop works through the practical levers that change that: diversifying income, building basic systems and protecting energy, not just time. Participants leave with a clearer, more honest picture of where their business is quietly leaking, and a concrete next step for shoring it up.

The creative career pivot - For artists reconsidering a major transition eg leaving performance, shifting from making into teaching, or simply wanting something more (or less) stable. This workshop treats the pivot as a strategic process, not a leap of faith. It covers auditing existing skills, testing a new direction before committing, managing the financial reality of a transition and the harder identity work of separating "who I am" from "what I currently do." Participants leave with a framework for evolving their creative career without losing income or sense of self in the process.

Or something built for your cohort. If your artists need something specific, I'll design it.

THE GRANT WORKSHOP SERIES

This series is designed to meet artists at every stage of their funding journey - from those encountering grants for the first time, through to experienced practitioners seeking targeted feedback on specific applications.

→ How Grants Work - An accessible, demystifying introduction to the grants landscape for artists who haven’t applied before - or have tried and felt lost. This workshop breaks down how the system actually works, where to find opportunities, and how to start thinking strategically about funding.

→ Writing Competitive Applications - A practical, mid-level workshop that moves from understanding grants to writing them well. This session goes deeper into what a competitive application looks like, with real examples, guided activities, and a focus on the writing and evidence skills that separate strong applications from the rest.

→ Application Clinic -A live, hands-on workshop where participants bring their own application - in progress, planned, or previously rejected - and work directly with me and the group. This is a supported working session, not a lecture: artists receive real-time, individualised feedback in a collaborative peer environment.

FORMATS

→  Public workshops for wider creative communities

→  Cohort-based workshops for artists-in-residence, grant recipients, or program participants

→  Masterclasses on a specific skill

→  Industry charrettes and facilitated sessions that turn stakeholder input into usable recommendations

→  Assessor briefings and panel training

DELIVERY

90 minutes to 2 hours, online or onsite, tailored to group size - from small cohorts to 100+.

Tell me your group size, topic, and timing, and I'll send you a clear proposal.

Recent ProjectS

Inner West Council - Creative Toolbox Program

Building Your Audience - Masterclass

100+ attendees | 90 minutes | Onsite

Delivered the audience-building masterclass for the second Creative Toolbox Program cohort — one of Inner West Council's flagship professional development series for local artists — to a full room, with a live Q&A session immediately following.

ongoing facilitation work

I'm a regular workshop facilitator for Creative Plus Business, delivering their content to sector organisations and councils across Australia, including:

  • Business Connect (NSW Government)

  • Inner West Council

  • Lake Macquarie Council

  • Central Coast Council

  • Brimbank Council

  • Maroondah Council

  • Gunnedah Conservatorium

Also delivered on behalf of Creative Plus Business

Industry Charrette Facilitation

~100 senior sector representatives | 2 hours

Engaged by Creative Plus Business to facilitate a fast-paced, charrette-style session bringing senior industry figures together to generate peer-sourced solutions to sector-wide issues, as input into an industry report.

Content and curriculum delivered on behalf of Creative Plus Business.

North sydney council - artists in residence program

Building Your Audience - Masterclass

100+ attendees | 90 minutes | Onsite

Delivered the audience-building masterclass for the second Creative Toolbox Program cohort — one of Inner West Council's flagship professional development series for local artists — to a full room, with a live Q&A session immediately following.

  • Tantrum Youth Arts

  • AGDA

  • MEAA

  • Hayes Theatre Company

  • Old Fitz Theatre

  • University of Melbourne

  • SAE University

  • Accessible Arts

  • Cat's Masterclass for ‘Creative Toolbox: Learning Labs - Building Your Audience’ was a standout success. The session attracted a full house and generated exceptionally positive feedback from participants across all career stages. Creatives appreciated the clarity of the three-channel framework, the relevance of the examples, and Cat's thoughtful, engaging facilitation style. Attendees left with practical tools, renewed confidence, and a clearer understanding of how to connect their work with the right audiences. We would highly recommend this workshop to any arts organisation or council supporting creative practitioners

    —Hannah Rouse, Producer Creative Programs, Inner West Council

  • A big thank you to you and your team for helping make our workshop such a success on Saturday, especially Cat, who was absolutely fantastic. Her facilitation and energy really helped make the session engaging and valuable.

    — Creative Plus Business Client

  • We just finished Cat Dibley’s wonderful livestream. I can’t thank you all enough and thanks to Cat for such a wonderful session. As always – so much wonderful information that only someone with real experience and knowledge is able to relay. So thank you. I hope you know how much we appreciate these opportunities. Cat is just wonderful.

    — Creative Plus Business Client

Frequently Asked Questions

lets talk

If you're looking for a workshop or have professional development outcomes you’d like to offer your community I'd love to hear about what you're working on.

Contact me via the form here to discuss your needs, timeline, and how I can help.

What if it works out even better..?

What if it works out even better..?