Income Generation Workshop

In this session, income generation expert Elinor Eaton will explore methods of income generation for makers, designers, artists, craftspeople, creative freelancers and small creative and cultural organisations based in Cornwall.

Participants can expect an informal, practical and reflective introduction to income generation, grounded in reality and focused on building sustainable, values-led approaches for the future. You can expect to explore:

• The current income-generation landscape and emerging trends, and what they mean for creatives and organisations now;
• Ethical cultivation and relationship-building, moving away from one-off asks towards trust, relevance and shared purpose;
• How to identify and clearly communicate your case for support, beyond bid writing and funding applications alone;
• Understanding and articulating tangible business benefits that grow partnerships, not transactions;
• Approaches to unlocking investment and generating income sustainably, aligned with your values, capacity and long-term goals.

The workshop will explore building a clear case for support, understanding value beyond financial transactions, and creating space to think differently about income in a way that aligns with your purpose. Expect practical insights, honest reflection and time to workshop ideas together — leaving you feeling more confident, connected and equipped to take your next steps.

This workshop is part of Built to Last: practical ways to sustain a creative practice - a series of workshops designed to help artists and creatives build a practice that is personally and financially sustainable. Led by local artists and people working in creative and cultural organisations, the sessions will explore how to apply creative skills to a broad range of public, social and heritage contexts – building resilience through diversifying how you work without compromising your fundamental focus or motivation. We are grateful to The Goldsmiths' Foundation for supporting this programme.

About Elinor Eaton

Elinor Eaton, Co-Founder of Micronomy, brings over 20 years’ experience in income generation, fundraising and entrepreneurial leadership across the creative, social-enterprise, hospitality and public sectors. Her career has been shaped by working through periods of economic uncertainty — from building businesses at a young age, through the Global Financial Crisis, to leading innovation and business relationships during the pandemic. Throughout, her work has centred on sustainable income thinking, cross-sector collaboration and finding creative, grounded ways to turn challenge into opportunity.

About Micronomy

Micronomy is a Plymouth-based consultancy and social-impact business working with people, projects and organisations across Plymouth, the South West and the wider UK. Its work spans strategy, collaboration, confidence-building and practical delivery across the creative, cultural and social-enterprise sectors. One key strand of Micronomy’s work focuses on unlocking sustainable income through purposeful, ethical and human-centred approaches — an area shaped strongly by lived experience and long-term practice.Rooted in the belief that meaningful change often begins with small, intentional actions, Micronomy champions income generation that goes beyond money alone, valuing relationships, confidence, collaboration and long-term resilience. This approach supports individuals and organisations to articulate their value clearly and build income strategies that feel both practical and principled, aligned with their purpose rather than bolted on.