Jamie O'Reilly, Arts Consultant

Consulting and Coaching Services for Free Lance Artists, Students and Organizations

Statement of Purpose:

As an Arts Consultant and Mentor to independent artists, Ms. O'Reilly's emphasis is on counseling and guiding the fledgling and established artist (and/or organization) by encouraging development of the creativity, imagination, business smarts and common sense necessary to be a successful artist or arts organization. This unique one-on-one coach/client relationship focuses on honing the skills of personal discipline and motivation, and combines a pertinent life philosophy and work ethic with the creativity needed to achieve effective self-definition and actualization in the arts arena.

Description of Process:

In her one-on-one consulting relationships, Ms. O'Reilly employs aspects of both career and lifestyle counseling with the discussion and assignment orientation of classroom settings. For clients in an academic program, such as those offered by Columbia College Chicago: Arts, Entertainment and Media Management Department, and other academic programs, Jamie initiates the relationship with a telephone or in person interview. The interview provides Jamie with an overview of the students' academic background and coursework, while zeroing in on their aspirations and ambitions for the future. Jamie then presents them with a clear, common sense approach to maintaining a creative life during and after college. Her coaching emphasizes self awareness and motivation, strong work ethic, creativity and artistic integrity. Using the Chicago area's rich cultural community as a resource model, and speaking as a working professional, she engages clients by providing a listening ear, candid feedback and by sharing her personal experiences about the work and its rewards. She also assists in developing the tools necessary to navigate the ups and downs of the arts field, a traditionally tough business.

Clients are encouraged to bring and create promotional materials, such as resumes, photos, CDR demos and work samples, and Ms. O'Reilly gives feedback on it and in some cases, contributes written copy to their portfolio.

Typical Responsibilities to the Client:

Jamie's responsibilities to a client or project may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Listening to the aspirations, ideas, and ambitions of the client as an artist and vital human being, and guiding the client through the process of self -acceptance and self actualization.


  • Consulting on the client's identity and potential public profile, through public relations, media relations, grant writing. The process includes listening to the client's own descriptions of their work, encouraging further ideas toward creating an Artist mission statement, statement of purpose or creative philosophy.


  • Consulting on an artistic project, from its idea to the content to collaboration, to its development for presentation to the public.


  • Consulting on and reviewing creative and technical copy from client's written materials, mission statements, artist's statements, statements of purpose, grant applications, press, program descriptions, professional biographies, press releases, advertising, graphic and promotional art design and photography.


  • Rewriting or contributing new portions of bios, grant applications, press releases, promo packets, program descriptions, program notes, brochures, posters and promotional texts, proposals and miscellaneous correspondence.


  • Consulting on: coordinating mailing lists, distribution of said materials to the press, marketing incentives to the audience base, lobby displays.


  • Advising on networking in arts communities and commercial arts arena, via artists, patrons, organizations and businesses.

(Note-Basic office work such as proofreading, Xeroxing, typing, typesetting, keeping and copying mailing lists, as well as sending mailings etc, will need to be the client's responsibility, as Jamie only generate originals for your review.)

Jamie O'Reilly's Availability:

Jamie is best reached by e-mail and generally has office hours weekdays 9 am to 2 pm, and does not take consulting calls after 5 pm. She typically sets up an interview by phone, followed by a first meeting, which is typically about two hours long. You can reach her by e-mail or 24 hour, non pager, voice mail (312) 458-0822, (press #), where you may leave a message with as much information as you need.

Jamie O'Reilly's Fees:

Jamie requires an initial fee/retainer of $60 per hour (with a minimum of two hours) for the first 2 hours of work. After that she charges $25-$50 per hour for one-on-one services, a charge which may be renegotiated, depending on the client/project. Jamie sends a letter of agreement by mail when her services are officially engaged. After the retainer of $120 is paid, the per hour fee is due after each private session, OR the amount is due in one lump sum OR, if prearranged, she keeps time sheets for billable hour and sends an invoice. Should her guidance go beyond that of an advising nature, (such as writing copy, hiring designers for clients, etc), then receipts for extra expenses beyond may be submitted in an invoice. Details of the work she does for the client will be kept in a file. Clients are welcome to review it with sufficient notice.

Checks are made payable to Jamie O'Reilly at:
PO Box 257309, Chicago, IL 60625