IGNITION SA
IGNITION SA is a new program of learning opportunities, mentoring, resources, and online experiences designed to enhance the professional development and wellbeing of South Australia’s creative professionals.
Produced by Creative Plus Business, IGNITION SA brings to South Australia four initiatives to help creative businesses and arts professionals come together to learn, access professional development opportunities, gain mentorship and guidance, and build new creative and professional networks.
IGNITION SA is an initiative of the Government of South Australia’s Office for Small and Family Business and the South Australian Small Business Strategy 2023 – 2030.
Choose Your IGNITION Adventure...
There's nothing like meeting other creatives to connect, learn, and be inspired. Throughout the year a series of IGNITION Events will be popping up in Adelaide City, Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills, facilitated by award-winning creative expert Monica Davidson.
Each event will focus on one the four basics of creative business: small business skills, financial literacy, marketing strategy, and wellbeing. They're the perfect blend of networking and learning opportunity, designed for creative entrepreneurs.
Every creative needs a resource kit to help them start, run, or grow their business. The IGNITION Toolkit is an on-demand online resource designed to help South Australia’s creatives build strong foundations for their creative business.
It includes free access to video tutorials, resources, templates, tools and more to help arts professionals enhance their creative business skills, financial literacy, marketing ability and wellbeing management - no matter where they live and work.
A creative industries specialist advisor can make the world of difference to any arts business. The IGNITION Mentors are fellow South Australian creatives with a wealth of professional experience and training, who can provide tailored and confidential advice, help with strategic planning, resource recommendations and more.
Through the program, 55 participants will access 4 hours of confidential and personalised mentoring with a creative sector specialist. Scroll down to meet the mentors!
Our private IGNITION SA LinkedIn group is the ideal way to stay connected with other IGNITION participants. The group will help South Australia creative business and arts professionals to share news, amplify opportunities and resources, exchange ideas, discuss trends, and more.
A safe and moderated LinkedIn space is the place to continue developing your creative network. It's ready to join now, and will continue throughout the two years of the IGNITION program, and beyond.
What's included?
Here’s what to expect if you join us for the IGNITION...
Up to five IGNITION Events across the year that combine professional development with great networking with creatives from all corners of the sector.
Access to the IGNITION Toolkit for just $10 where you can learn on-demand from 24 workshops and webinars covering a huge range of creative business topics.
Priority application for your own creative business mentor.
Membership in the IGNITION SA private LinkedIn Group.
Lifetime access to a dedicated Dropbox folder jam-packed with more resources and helpful links, workshop workbooks, and more free on-demand webinars!
Who's it for?
IGNITION SA has been designed for creatives from almost any discipline. It is the only cross-sector program that encompasses the whole of the creative industries, and available to people at any stage of their creative business journey.
It is ideal for freelancers, small creative businesses, recent graduates, and anyone in the creative industries eager to boost their business skills, financial smarts, and marketing prowess to make their creative practice sustainable and profitable. This includes those from emerging businesses in design, music, performing arts, broadcasting, screen, publishing and the visual arts.
We highly encourage the participation of First Peoples, women, people with disabilities, and those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
Need to know if it's for you?
Get in touch with our team and we can answer all your questions. Email [email protected]
Program Outcomes
IGNITION SA is designed to help you connect with and make the most of the amazing creative ecosystem in South Australia.
Essential Business Skills
Worried about the basics? IGNITION SA is a safe and friendly place to learn the basics of creative business, including everything from goals and plans to ABNs and time management.
Networking & Collabs
Throughout the program you'll be building a network of like-minded individuals. It's the only program of its kind that promises wide cross-sector engagement. Your next collaborator could be in the room!
Finance & Money
Take the fear of financial literacy once and for all. From the basics of managing money through to the tools, systems, and tips learned from some of the industry's leading creative business money maestros.
Marketing Strategy
The program will give you the tools and know-how to create a marketing strategy that centres your work, finds the clients and customers you need, and takes the pain out of the marketing grind.
Creative Wellbeing
IGNITION will give you the tools and know-how to embed wellbeing practices into your creative practice and business. With the right know-how, these strategies can have immense benefits to your work and life.
What's Creative Plus Business?
The program is delivered by Creative Plus Business, a national social enterprise dedicated to advancing the business skills and entrepreneurialism of creative practitioners.
It has been designed by the company’s Doyenne and founder, Monica Davidson, who brings over thirty years of screen industry and social enterprise experience to the program.
Meet the Mentors
Stavroula Adameitis
Stavroula Adameitis (aka Frida Las Vegas) is an Australian visual artist and designer renowned for her maximalist style remixing nostalgia, memory, glamour and humour. Her visually striking work has been showcased in major cultural institutions, including the Sydney Opera House and the Art Gallery of South Australia, and she has collaborated with global performers and brands including Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Adobe, Meta and Disney. Stavroula brings her sharp modern pop sensibility to a wide range of mediums and canvases, including facilitating workshops and public arts initiatives. Alongside her creative practice, Stavroula is the Artistic Director of SA Futures Agency, a member of the Guildhouse Artist Advisory Group and the recipient of the 2025 40 Under 40 ‘Creative Thinker’ award.
John Glenn
Originally a poor but happy musician, John has had roles in financial, project and logistical management for a variety of government, non-profit and private entities, including as Operations Manager of Sydney Symphony, GM of Sydney’s State Theatre, and GM of the Venue Management Association (Asia and Pacific). He was also the Executive Producer of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Commercial Ventures from 2014-2017. After a stint as Chief Operating Officer of GWB Entertainment touring major musicals, John decided to create Dowling Street Productions to pursue his passion of helping emerging and established artists create new work, and quickly started doing many projects with Peta Spurling-Brown at Hey Dowling.
Michael Simms
Michael Simms is a multi-award winning interdisciplinary artist based in Sydney, Australia on Gadigal Country. His practice engages with themes around queer identity, masculinity, the impacts of digital technology and the body.
Michael completed a degree in psychology in Adelaide before winning a scholarship to study at Sydney’s historic Julian Ashton Art School.
He has been shortlisted for major art competitions including the Archibald Prize and is the winner of the Royal Art Society of NSW Young Artist Prize, and the 2023 Packer's Prize at the Kennedy Art Prize in South Australia.
He is represented by Eloise Cato Gallery in Sydney and Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne.
Peta Spurling-Brown
Peta Spurling-Brown founded SA-based production company Hey Boss in 2015, quickly gaining momentum as one of the most exciting independent producers in Australia. Her collaborative approach with early clients Damian Callinan, Double Denim, and Jamie MacDowell & Tom Thum cemented her reputation for excellence - carving out a niche in sophisticated yet accessible alternative comedy and cross-genre entertainment.
With a strong presence at Adelaide and Edinburgh fringe festivals, Hey Boss imported some of the most exciting international talent to Australia’s summer festivals including Fleabag, Alex Rossi & Friends The After Party, Butt Kapiniski, and Abandoman.
In 2023, Peta joined forces with John Glenn to form Hey Dowling. This young company has seen huge success with seasons at major festivals and venues including Sydney Festival, Auckland Arts Festival, and Arts Centre Melbourne.
Peta joined the Mooshead Committee in 2024, supporting comedians to stretch their creative legs through grants and awards. She is the co-creator of Smashed: The Brunch Party, and lead creative on the forthcoming participatory dance project: Step By Step.
Kirsty Stark
Kirsty Stark is an Emmy award winning producer whose screen credits include the children's series First Day (8 international awards including an Emmy), 13 times AACTA award winning drama series Stateless (co-producer for Matchbox Pictures), and the groundbreaking ABC iview series, Wastelander Panda.
In 2023, Kirsty launched CrewHQ, an online platform to support freelance crew across their careers. Bringing together her experience in production and camera departments, as well as her history of coaching and mentorship, the site combines a nationwide hiring marketplace for freelancers with an annual conference, CrewCon.
Kirsty is also Co-Chair of The Mercury.
Ready to apply for your own IGNITION Mentor? Get more details and complete the EOI form today as there are only 50 mentorships available.
Mentorships comprise of 4 x 1 hour sessions. The cost of each session is $25, with a small number of subsidised mentorships available.
Dates & Details
WORKSHOP DAY 1 - BUSINESS BASICS FOR CREATIVES
This fun and practical workshop covers all the essentials a creative needs to get the basics of small business right and avoid some of the most common pitfalls that artists can experience when entering the world of self-employment and freelancing.
Date & Time: Friday, 28 November 2025 | 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Vitalstatistix, 11 Nile St, Port Adelaide SA 5015, Australia
WORKSHOP DAY 2 - FINANCIAL BASICS FOR CREATIVES
Making a living and building a business in the arts means understanding how money works, but the financial situation for creatives can be challenging. This whole day workshop delves into all the tricky topics including how to manage the irregularity of work, what to charge, how to diversify a creative income, and where to go for more help with insurance, tax and superannuation.
Date & Time: Saturday 29 November 2025 | 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Vitalstatistix, 11 Nile St, Port Adelaide SA 5015, Australia
LINKEDIN GROUP
Open for members from 1 September 2025
IGNITION TOOLKIT
MENTOR EOIS ROUND ONE
Applications Open 21 November 2025
Applications Close 20 December2025
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Creative Plus Business is a certified social enterprise through Social Traders. This means that we are dedicated to doing social, community, and environmental good inline with our purpose of contributing to the growth and success of every creative business.
Creative Plus Business Group Pty Ltd acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people as the traditional custodians of our land, Australia, and acknowledges sovereignty was never ceded.
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