Talent Development

Who didn't enjoy watching Susan Boyle go through to the next round of 'Britain's got Talent'? Yet the best part of most reality shows is usually the auditions, when delusional wannabes are told best not to quit their dayjobs. Ever. You see, the problem with talent, just like ugly newborns, is that so few people are willing to tell you the truth about them.

I guess that's what makes ugly people pay for modeling school, fashion-challenged individuals attend personal shopper courses , or wide-eyed conformers train to become cool hunters . Who are the schools to argue with your potential as a professional? You've got potential, alright. A potential four-digit course fee cheque.

If you're in advertising you'll at least have a less pricey option thanks to the Portfolio Night initiative - a Canadian concept that has grown into a global phenomenon. It lets you present your portfolio to industry bigwigs, market yourselves to potential employers and, more crucially, get some honest feedback on your work.

You'll still pay for the privilege of handing over your best ideas to be shamelessly pilfered and copied (these are advertising people after all), but it's only EUR 25. Compare that to EUR 1,450 for finding out if your personal style translates into personal shopper success. Exactly.

Portfolio Night 7 Barcelona - Thursday June 4
EUR 25 - buy your ticket online
For info on creative summer courses, visit the webs
IDEP • IED • UPF • FD • Elisava • Complot • Bau

by AAl