The Next Opening
I'm Alyson Stanfield. The Next Opening is the coaching group where I work directly with ambitious artists who are always working toward what's next, on their own terms.
The Next Opening is a year-long coaching group led by Alyson Stanfield, host of The Art Biz podcast, for ambitious visual artists who want to grow their art careers with intention.
Enrollment is by application and opens twice a year. The next group begins in September.
Who is The Next Opening for?
The Next Opening is for visual artists who want more …
More sales, more recognition, more and better opportunities, and a well-earned place in the art world.
You’re not waiting to be discovered. You’re willing to work for it, but you’re just not interested in hustle culture’s version of ambition.
You understand the value of working in cycles: make a plan, take action, assess the results, adjust, and go again.
Every turn creates your next opening. Then the one after that.
In The Next Opening, you do that work alongside other artists who are serious about the same thing, in a group small enough that your work actually gets seen.
How does The Next Opening work?
The Next Opening runs for a full year with a structure aligned with the working seasons of an artist’s career. You push, you open/finish/execute, you ease off, you push again.
We work with the natural rhythm of your year instead of fighting it.
The year opens in September with a live marketing plan workshop. You leave with a plan you’ll actually run. From there we work it through the fall, then ease off in December to close the year and take stock of what moved.
The work picks back up in the new year and runs into the warmer months. Then the calendar lightens over the summer, so you can be out in the world showing, making, and meeting people without a full schedule of calls pulling you back to your desk.
YOUR YEAR AT A GLANCE
SEPTEMBER through fall
Your year begins with the September 11 marketing plan workshop so that you have concrete steps for the upcoming months. Implement your plan with the help of our check-ins and working calls.
DECEMBER
We slow our pace to enjoy the holidays, take stock during our Annual Review live session, and close out the year—ready to begin fresh in 2027.
JANUARY through spring
Soak in the New Year energy and make a new plan for the spring season. Again, you have the plan to follow and our support as we do this together.
SUMMER
Our calendar lightens a little so you can enjoy the garden, inspirational walks, and travel. You honor your studio practice and keep the business going so you don’t have to start anew.
What's included in The Next Opening?
2 Planning workshops
September and January workshops give you a plan that will shape the upcoming season.
1-on-1 WITH ALYSON
Two private sessions with me. Building on what you shared in your application, there’s a kickoff call to help you set your priorities, and a midpoint check-in to see what’s moved and where to push next.
LIVE ANNUAL REVIEW
Close out your year and acknowledge the work you did that you have already forgotten. The annual review sets you up for what comes next.
TWICE-MONTHLY DIRECTION SESSIONS
Your regular contact with the group. You bring what you’ve been working on, work through what’s stuck, and leave clear on your next move. When what members are working on points to a shared need or I learn something I think would be valuable, I’ll open with a short lesson. Sessions are currently held on one Tuesday and one Thursday each month at 2:00 Eastern, with advance notice if that ever changes.
REFLECTION BEFORE EACH SESSION
A short reflection you post to the group before each Direction Session. It’s how you prepare, how you claim your spotlight on the call, and how your progress stays visible to everyone, including me.
Why is The Next Opening different?
I’ve been doing this work long enough to know that members tend to disappear into a program.
They join with every intention of showing up, and then they go quiet.
The call runs whether they’re there or not, nothing is asked of them, and no one notices when they drift off.
I built The Next Opening so that doesn’t happen. You come with your own work, and you post a reflection before each session. The group stays small enough that your presence is felt, and so is your absence.
Our artist-members depend on you, as do I.
And your presence isn’t good only for you. When you come with your focus and challenges, everyone in the room benefits.
That’s why being here is expected, not optional. The group works because of the artists who show up for one another (and themselves!).
You can’t have more sales, more recognition, and more opportunities if you aren’t showing up for yourself. If you aren’t following through on what you said you wanted.
You’re not buying access to content.
You’re investing in a year where you’re showing up—for yourself above all—and always looking for the next move.
About
I’m Alyson Stanfield. I’ve helped thousands of artists build sustainable, intentional businesses for more than two decades.
I’m the host of The Art Biz podcast, author of I’d Rather Be in the Studio, and founder of Art Biz Success.
Before launching my consulting practice in 2002, I spent a decade as a curator and educator in art museums, an experience that still shapes how I see artists and their work.
I work closely with a small number of artists each year.
The Next Opening is one of the few ways to work with me.
How to join
The Next Opening is $1200* for the year, and it’s by application.
Enrollment opens twice a year, about a month before each group begins. The next group begins in September.
Enrollment is kept small on purpose, so the group stays a place where everyone’s work gets seen. If it sounds like the room you want to be working in, apply below and we’ll see if it’s a good fit.
Frequently asked questions
Alyson Stanfield leads the group directly. She is the host of The Art Biz podcast, and a former art museum curator who has worked with artists for more than two decades at Art Biz Success after working with them in art museum.s
Ambitious visual artists who are actively expanding their careers and want more sales, recognition, and opportunities, without hustle culture. It’s best suited to artists who are already working and ready to be accountable for their own results.
$1200 for the year or 12 monthly payments of $105 ($1260).
Enrollment opens twice a year, about a month before each group begins. The next group begins in September. Apply now to get on the list.
Yes. You have a one-on-one with me at the start of your year, following a short assessment, and another check-in at the midpoint. These are 30-minute sessions. You also have direct access to me in our forum and our twice-monthly Direction Sessions.
You should make time to attend two Direction Sessions a month, each with a short reflection you post to the group beforehand, plus the work you set for yourself. The schedule is heavier in the fall and spring working stretches and lighter in December and over the summer.
All of the implementation between our sessions is what you should be doing anyway to build your business and shouldn’t be seen as group work.
The two Direction Sessions each month are currently held on one Tuesday and one Thursday at 2:00 Eastern, and are posted 3 months in advance. If a time ever needs to change, you’ll always get advance notice. Because the group relies on participation from all members, the sessions are should be be attended live, although recordings will also be available.
The Next Opening is built around participation, not passive access. You report on your own results, take the spotlight during our Direction Sessions, and stay accountable to peers, so the group keeps you moving instead of letting you drift.
Yes. The Next Opening is a twelve-month commitment, billed once at $1200. It’s designed as a full year because meaningful movement in an art career happens over seasons of work, not weeks.