Join us for a Master Class on Networking for Freelance Artists!

Beyond the Elevator Pitch: How to Create Lasting Industry Relationships

A Masterclass with Nan Barnett and Jessica Bird Beza

Saturday, August 15, 2026 

10-12 pm PT/ 1-3 pm ET (on Zoom)

Sliding Scale $45-75

For many freelance artists, the hardest part of the job isn't the craft, it's the conversation. Talking about your work, your ambitions, and your value to producers, collaborators, and peers can feel exposing, awkward, or downright terrifying. This masterclass is designed to change that. The session blends candid conversation, real stories from decades in the field, and hands-on practice with community learning. 

This masterclass is led by two veteran new-play development leaders, Nan Barnett and Jessica Bird Beza, with experience coaching artists through these exact challenges. Nan Barnett is Executive Director of National New Play Network and has spent 24 seasons producing new work at Florida Stage and helped build NNPN's field-changing Rolling World Premiere program and New Play Exchange. Jessica Bird Beza is Playwrights Foundation’s Executive Artistic Director and a Bay Area director and producer whose career spans The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and the Broadway musical Come From Away.  

Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned freelancer who still dreads the "so, tell me about your work" moment, this masterclass offers a supportive space to own your artistry and practice the conversations that build a sustainable artistic life.

Participants will:

• Hear firsthand stories of relationships that shaped careers — including missteps and recoveries

• Uncover what's really underneath the reluctance to self-advocate

• Identify your unique value and practice framing your artistic work and value in low-pressure exercises

• Leave with practical tools for initiating and sustaining relationships with producers, artistic staff, and fellow artists

• Take part in an open community conversation to workshop real scenarios together

Want to Go Deeper with Nan and Jessica? 

Extend your masterclass experience with an intimate 30-minute add-on session immediately following the workshop for an additional $25. This small-group Meet & Greet plus extended Q&A gives you direct access to Nan and Jessica for an even more personal exchange to ask follow-up questions, dig deeper into the exercises, and get feedback on your own networking scenarios.

Enroll Here!