Academy Professional Workshop Series
This series is intended to give local businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to strengthen their individual and team skills in a variety of creative sessions that use art and theatre as a medium. These sessions can be booked independently as a team-building effort for your business.
Each session includes the use of a room for up to three hours, set-up “conference-style” so that these workshops can be combined with interoffice meetings after or before each session. Each room is equipped with wifi, tables, and chairs, and can include necessary AV equipment upon request and a $20 upcharge.
For independent sessions, we encourage discussion with our facilitator prior to the scheduled workshop to assist them in focusing on what is important to your business, areas you hope to strengthen through the workshop, and specifics that can make your topics personalized and meaningful.
Academy Professional Workshops are the perfect opportunities for non-profit boards to enhance board engagement, or to host a strategy session with your team off-site.
Meet Our Facilitators:
Mike Lewis – Executive Director, Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra
A familiar face in the Lynchburg business community for four decades, Mike has worked with local companies and organizations of all types and sizes. He is particularly interested in developing collaborative and synergistic relationships between organizations and is always looking for unique or unexpected opportunities. Following a successful career with local media companies and the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, he became Executive Director of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra in 2020.
David Glover – Music Director, Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra
Known for his exciting and passionate music-making, David Glover is recognized as one of the rising stars of his generation. In addition to his position as Music Director of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, he recently concluded tenure as the Associate Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony and is currently the conductor of the Triangle Youth Philharmonic in Raleigh, NC, as well as artistic director of its parent organization, the Philharmonic Association. This coming year, Glover makes return guest appearances with the Charlotte Symphony and has recently appeared with the Hendersonville (NC) Symphony and the Furman University Orchestra.
Sarah Proctor – Director of Stewardship
Sarah is the Special Events and Corporate Rentals Manager at the Academy Center of the Arts, joining the Academy team in January 2019. Painting, drawing and sketching have found a way to creep into all phases of her career. After graduating from Florida State University with a degree in Interior Design, she became the resident rendering specialist for an architectural firm. While attending Virginia Commonwealth University to study art history, she worked several years in art conservation, working on and studying restoration projects at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In true pivoting fashion, Sarah has adapted her skills as an artist and contributed to the Academy’s Education Department as a virtual paint instructor during COVID. The arts have remained an important part of her personal and professional life.
Sponsors
Academy Professional Workshop Types
The Theatrics of Teamwork
Is there any workplace drama in your office? This workshop could be a good fit for your team. Find out whose personalities are more dominant than others.
Who is a born leader? Which of your team members are more introverted? By determining the personalities in your workforce, you can begin to better understand what to expect from your team members and their ability to communicate effectively.
Pivoting while Painting
Are your employees stuck in a rut? Is it time to restrategize your internal goals? Work with our facilitators to apply the opportunity to pivot while painting. Prior to this workshop, your team will be given a choice of two different paintings to work on as a group.
Hosted in the ACOA art studio, your team will begin to work independently on painting this image with the help of a paint instructor. As the class continues, your business facilitator will combine elements of your team goals and challenges into the act of painting this image.
Finding Art in Analytics
How does your organization measure performance? What type of data is important to determine the success and health of your organization? Our facilitator will reach out ahead of your workshop to decipher some of these goals.
During this workshop, hosted in the Anne White Gallery and surrounded by art from our artist of the month, your team members will sit in this immersive space, and answer some organizational questions to inspire conversation on your organization strengths and weaknesses to assist in preparing for future growth, or upcoming challenges.
The Conduct of Good Leadership
Work with Mike Lewis and David Glover, from the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra as they relate the nuances of conducting this amazing local orchestra to being a leader of a company. Engage in beautiful music and discussion surrounding this performing art as it relates to your team and business. Prerecorded excerpts will be presented from the magical Historic Theatre stage, providing an entertaining backdrop to this workshop. Additionally, David will conduct your team as an “orchestra” through a few numbers, putting your leadership skills to the test!
Contact us
If you’re ready to get started, contact us using the information below.
Tabitha Abbott
