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Tara | Helping Artists Sell More

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Helping artists turn creativity into income.
Founder The Biscuit Factory
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Artists get ghosted. The Department gets the PR.

10,000+ artists applied for Basic Income for the Arts. 2,000 places.
Deadline was May 12th. It's September 23rd and there's still been no real communication.

Have you heard?

On June 30th, the Department told the Dáil in writing that applicants would hear "September at the earliest." That went to a politician, not to a single applicant directly. Everything else has come from artists piecing it together on Reddit and in WhatsApp groups, doing the Department's communications job for them.

Meanwhile the press lines write themselves: €18.27 million, 10,000 applications, "a major milestone for the arts in Ireland."
Good headline for the Department. Meanwhile the person who applied is watching a random selection process decide the next three years of their income, with no idea when they'll even find out.

Would this happen to a tech startup?

Irish creatives are building an international reputation again, grassroots, from the ground up, with next to no infrastructure behind them. Surely that's worth the basic manners of an email?

This isn't a complaint that the scheme exists, it's a good scheme and €325 a week changes lives. It's that months of "we're not sure when"

If you're an applicant: share what you know. If you got a rejection with no explanation, ask before you appeal blind.

Contact your TD, this is exactly what parliamentary questions are for.

Creative people carry this sector. Isn't it time we were treated like it. taken in Ireland (country) by @biscuitcommunity

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11 days ago

The starving artist myth is bullshit. Here’s the actual problem.
Nobody teaches artists and makers the money side of things
It’s not a personal failing even though it feels that way to many, it’s a training gap, and Christmas is exactly when it hits hardest.

This is Part 1 of a 4-part series on how to make money as a Creative this Christmas.

No fluff, just the steps: what to sell, what to charge, how to get in front of buyers. FOLLOW so you don’t miss it and share so other creatives get to see this.

I built a FREE checklist that walks through the whole thing.
Comment CHRISTMAS and I’ll send it your way. taken in Ireland (country) by @biscuitcommunity

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25 days ago

STOP FUNDING ARTISTS...in isolation.

Start investing in the infrastructure that actually lets them live from their work.

We celebrate creativity, run campaigns about “supporting the arts”, and then ask artists and makers to survive on:

irregular income

endless unpaid admin and applications

short‑term funding with zero certainty about next year

That isn’t support. It’s managed survival.

Infrastructure means:

clear pathways to paid opportunities

tools that connect talent to funding, commissions and markets

systems designed around how creatives really work, not how policy wishes they worked

That’s what I’m building with Biscuits because we can’t keep waiting for existing supports to magically become systems.

If you believe the creative sector deserves more than vibes and one‑off grants, this conversation is for you.

Save this, share it with someone in policy or funding, and tell me in the comments:
What’s the one piece of infrastructure you wish existed for your creative work right now? taken in Ireland, Europe by @biscuitcommunity

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4 months ago

What do all of these finalists have in common?
I am very grateful to say that I have had the honour of working with these creatives businesses inside The Biscuit Factory.

We share the daily grind, the ups and downs and I feel the absolute passion these humans have for their craft.

Wishing this amazing Biscuit Factory crew the craic agus ceoil celebrating being finalists at the @irishcountrymag Irish Made Awards this evening.

To all the finalists - well done for showing up and doing the work. The relentless pursuit for improving your skills, the daily practice of creative work and the rich value you bring to the world.

The humans behind the work.
Remember - you are the gold 🧡

So proud of every creative on this island.

Have fun tonight 🕺 taken in Irish Country Magazine by @biscuitcommunity

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4 days ago

Sorry Biscuit members!!
I should have created this toolkit a long time ago….heres what 10 years of selling with creative businesses for Xmas, looks like in 2026!

Selling season is here and you can’t find the 14 notebooks with ideas, YouTube video notes and where you wrote the advice from that local enterprise office webinar ( y’know the one you doodled your way through? )

I struggle with that stuff too so I created The Christmas Toolkit which gives you four fill-in tools that turn your answers into a Christmas plan that makes sense.

Built for artists, makers and small craft businesses from 10 years of experience working with ye guys.
15 makers grabbed it in the first 30 minutes… ( yeah I’m showing off 😬) lots of great feedback yay!

Heads up! The launch price goes up tomorrow at 11am - grab it for €19.99 until Tuesday 11am, then €29.99.
 One-off payment. Instant access.

👉 Get yours at the link in bio.
 Not ready for that yet hit the biscuit factory website and look at our best sellers! 💪🕺💪

#keepcreative taken in Ireland (country) by @biscuitcommunity

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6 days ago

Voices are gathering - 29th 30th September in RDS Dublin.

Our sector needs diverse conversations to understand the deep value on the gold we hold close… Creativity.

* We can feel this need from the recent thread of conversation related to the basic income for the arts. Thank you for participating & sharing your voice. *

In May 2025 I witnessed such dialogue specific to Irish craft in the RDS. These specific dialogues were curated by the inspiring @roisindebuitlear | @ceird_
with the loyal support of an incredible network of passionate talented craft professionals who all share an absolute love for Irish Craft and its future.

These voices and conversations are gathering again.
Tuesday 29th & 30th of September. I have butterflies at the thought of experiencing the magic in a room full of creative people- last May blew me away.

I will report back from the event but for now I want to say this… creative voices matter. Craft matters.

Discussions are important, for the future of craft - of supports and infrastructure and most importantly, to recognise & value the humans who create the work.

I will continue to shout about this and will never stop. You, the human behind the work - YOU ARE THE GOLD.

We need voices to gather - collectively pursing the common good via creative work now and for future generations.

This week Threading Europe @rdsdublin will explore critical topics about the future of craft in Ireland and across Europe.

Tickets are sold out but if you want to share any thoughts or questions regarding craft & it’s future please drop below 👇🏼 taken in RDS by @biscuitcommunity

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7 days ago

POV: When reality bites!

To the family, friends and community that constantly support our makers and artists.

Thank you!!
Tag your best supporter and let’s get real about what it takes to run a creative business in Ireland!

#keepcreative by @biscuitcommunity

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3 months ago

You can do everything in Step 1 but still lose money this Xmas. Here’s why.

Step 1 Gets the product sorted.
Step 2 is owning your numbers. Yup the thing we run away from.

Follow me for step 3 & 4

Step 2 of this 4 step process.
A few key steps…

1. Set a revenue goal
2. Work out your average order value
3. Check the production so you can hit that revenue goal based on the order value.

Need help figuring this out ?join 100’s of other artists and makers who use my product calculator.

Comment ‘Pricing’ and I’ll send ya the link 🕺🔥 by @biscuitcommunity

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20 days ago

I want to start gathering our sector in real life. Not a networking event - we have a lot of those already.

I want to run Creative Dinners.

Perhaps a monthly collab with a space or restaurant that needs support too.
Still figuring out details....

First step is to get a group interested in hanging out, meeting over food, sharing ideas, laughs and generally have the craic.

Sure jahsis ya don't know who you'd be sitting next to!

Starting in Dublin to see if its a thing we can roll out across the isle.

If you wanna know more and are up for it drop your name on the interest list.

Link in bio x

#keepcreative
Tara taken in Dublin, Ireland by @biscuitcommunity

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2 months ago

When you support a small business owner by celebrating their work and shouting about it, you have more impact than you think.

Yes you support their bank account but it goes much deeper than that.

Y'see putting yourself out there to showcase what you create is one of the hardest things to do.
Why?
Because it is being created from their thoughts, their experiences and their skillset. From an idea to a piece of work.

It is not a repurposed product mass produced from China.
It is not a product that is being flipped - it is created by the person behind that website.

As a small business owner to promote that feels like taking off your clothes and standing in front of a group of people waiting for criticism.

For many that would be easier!!!

So when you wonder how can I support my friend or family member - that shout out and that purchase means the world.

They believe in me.
I can do this.
I am not giving up.

NEVER underestimate those moments. And if you can't afford to purchase something - sharing their posts, commenting and writing a review is a brilliant way to celebrate the amazing human behind the work.

#keepcreative
Tara x taken in Ireland, Europe by @biscuitcommunity

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a month ago

Step 1 of making money this Christmas isn’t posting more! (Yaaay!)

Most creatives open the season by making more stock, posting more content and saying YES to everything!

That is NOT step 1.
It’s the fastest way to burn out before December even kicks off.

Do these 3 things first…
1. Define your hero range - not everything you make or have in stock is the focus for Christmas selling. (That’s the curation bit)

2. Build 3 bundles of products in 3 price points. Entry, mid, higher.

3. Get a basic product sheet ready. What you sell, price point and think about what that product is actually bringing to the customer. Pricing, pitching and content you create sits on the back of that.

If ya skip this bit everything else is guesswork. Gift guides, promotion, pricing…. It gets fuzzy!

Follow me for 4 steps for making money this Christmas and if you want to tear out your eyes right now comment the word TOOLKIT and I’ll send you a link to help! 🧡 by @biscuitcommunity

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23 days ago

Back to school habits.
Every year I try to start the week as I mean to go on! With ADHD it is a struggle to stay consistent, so this year I am taking just 15 mins in the morning after drop to stretch!
Thanks to @yoga_with_alma for always inspiring me to move and stretch my body.

And I can’t wait to get back to the amazing @yogalabdublin - a studio with open arms and amazing plants!! 🧡

What are you adding to your week… just for you? - don’t forget about the human behind the work x

#keepcreative taken in Ireland (country) by @biscuitcommunity

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a month ago