# starting a business



## SFreullet (Sep 19, 2013)

Hello,
My name is Sylvie Freullet , I would like to ask your advice and or help in applying for a grant to set up a teaching,Education /leisure studio near Tabua. I am a motivated enthusiastic person, passionate about my teaching and craft work.
I studied art and design, ceramics and exhibition design up to degree level and have been a practising artist/craft person selling work since the age of 17.
I have a post graduate teaching certificate and regularly keep training in a wide area of teaching and craft based subjects including Every Child Matters and Equal Opportunities.
I have been teaching for 24 years ,teaching a wide range of clientele
From special needs, children’s workshops, children’s clubs 16-19 yr olds, HE and degree students.
I have organized craft shows, exhibitions and fairs on a regular monthly basis.
I have also been teaching art and crafts for 7 years in a prison / centre.
I have 30 years experience of running workshops, studio management and craft sales.
I have 2 grown up children who I brought up on my own they are now 32 and 30. They have between them given me 4 grandchildren.
My past has been very hard but I am still an optimistic person; I always look to the best, the future and work to the best of my ability.
In my teaching roles I have taught a wide range of Art based 2D and 3D mixed media disciplines to students ranging from Special Educational Needs, L1 Fresh Start / E2E/ Tuition children group, L1 & L2 & L3 Btec Art & design at West Thames College . I was the Tutor to the L2 students for may years and a Course co-ordinator keeping records, such as student files, Tutor and course files, Assessment Tracking/organisational details and overseen the assessment criteria is covered ) I also have taught HND Face design -Specialist Make up, this included the drawing of the face, the design principles / practice and Life drawing.
I have been teaching at West Thames College for 23 years and have loved every minute. This year there are redundancies at West Thames , I have taken the opportunity to do this, but still want to teach on a part time basis because I love my teaching. 

We have found an ideal property to set up live in art vacations and also a good size studio where Teaching art, design and crafts to the local community.
After talking to some of the British living locally, we found that there was little for youngsters (and adults come to that) to do in their spare time. This would be fantastic for them to gain knowledge and skills adding to their education. Also our contacts have told us it would be possible to arrange visits from local schools for art and craft sessions. I would love to broaden this to exhibitions, called 'Made in Portugal'

My partner is a Qualified diesel mechanic with 30 years experience who works on large machinery, He would like to set up a mechanical project on another part of the surrounding grounds to co-inside with the whole venture, mending tractors and grass cutters, etc. also teaching through apprenticeships or classes This would be situated well away from the studio,

We both are hard working enthusiastic people who have a lot to offer the Portuguese community

We have raised half the money we need for this project but need to raise the other half, £50,000. is there a grant or some sort of government grant that we can apply for. or do you know an investor to help raise the remaining capital.

Please can you help or advise us, I know this project would be successful and it would be a shame if we lost this opportunity.
regards

Sylvie @artboxuk


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Don't like bursting peoples bubble but personally believe this would be a non starter, without fluent Portuguese you'd be very unlikely to attract local Portuguese apart from the fact their very unlikely to be able to afford the fees or despite what you might have been told you wouldn't be able to arrange visits from local schools etc without all the correct permissions, licensing and reguired amenities this would apply equally and more so to your partner who would already be competition with existing courses from established technical colleges that every area has, and 100,000€ wouldn't cover any of this .

Licensing a property for holiday accommodation AL Licence is relatively easy and cheap but once you move away from this to a residential/vacation course of any kind you're in a totally different ballpark and need very different permissions, licences etc and these days I would not advise anyone starting or running a under the radar operation.

Are there grants yes and no but actually successfully getting one is problematic and bound up in many layers of bureaucracy and dealing with a number of different organizations all I'm afraid with their own agendas so for a Non Portuguese even more complicated.

I'd go back to the drawing board on this and seriously look at it again and what you'd hope to do


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## SFreullet (Sep 19, 2013)

*The artboxuk in portugal*

Thank you for your reply and being so honest - the truth sometimes hurts, we will take your on boards.
Regards 
S


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