NATCHEZ — Calling all artists.

If you sing, paint, take pictures, make pottery, play an instrument and ever wanted to make money, too, then the Arts Mean Business workshop is for you. If you are in business in the arts and want to improve your bottom line, the Arts Mean Business workshop is for you.

Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez and three state agencies — the Mississippi Arts Commission, Mississippi Small Business Development Center and the Mississippi Development Authority – are sponsoring the workshop, which will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. The entire program is free and open to Mississippi residents. Pre-registration is required and seating is limited. Individuals wishing to attend the workshop should contact the Mississippi Arts Commission at 601-359-6030 on or before Oct. 30. More information is available at the Mississippi Arts Commission Web site: www.arts.state.ms.us

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host such an exciting event on our campus,” Natchez campus Dean Teresa Harrison said. “There are so many people who are incredibly talented and would like to turn that talent into a career or money-making venture, but just are not sure where to begin.

This could be the first step to many entrepreneurial activities.”

“The whole cool thing about this is that the government has finally recognized arts as a business … It really is unprecedented,” said Sallye Killebrew, arts recovery coordinator with the Mississippi Arts Commission.

Arts Mean Business was created first to help Gulf Coast artists who lost their businesses or capability to produce art because of destruction from Hurricane Katrina.

To receive a grant, the artists were required to attend a day-long workshop devoted to business advice. The program was so popular, the state decided to allow all artists throughout Mississippi the opportunity to receive the same advice.