The art of small business on show in Adelaide

South Australian graduates of Mission Australia’s New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) are displaying their talents at a special end-of-year show - Simply ‘Delaide.

Launched on Thursday night by Kate Ellis, Federal Minister for Employment Participation, the exhibition features jewellery, painting, illustration, wall art, Indigenous art, fashion design, graphic design and photography created by local NEIS artisans.

Fittingly, the exhibition venue - Paper String Plastic - is owned and operated by a former NEIS participant.

Funded by the Australian Government, the NEIS program helps job seekers to successfully set up their own small businesses. Participants are trained in business management and helped to develop a business plan. They also receive a year of NEIS payments and are assigned a mentor for the first 12 months in business. Around 900 people participate in NEIS through Mission Australia every year in every state and territory.

Mission Australia’s South Australian NEIS Manager, Warren Silverston, said that Simply ‘Delaide aims to display the breadth of small businesses established by NEIS graduates and to celebrate their success.

“Most people, when they think of successful small businesses, they don’t automatically think of someone in the creative arts – jewellery designers, photographers, fashion designers, musicians, animators. But this showcase is about changing those perceptions,” Mr Silverston said.

“There’s no reason people with a creative gift can’t learn the attributes of managing a successful small business and turn their passion into a livelihood.

“All the exhibitors at this showcase are uniquely talented. Mission Australia’s role – and the role of NEIS – was to provide the support, guidance and expertise to assist them to make a go of it and channel their talent in a targeted and professional way.

“The creative arts sector adds millions of dollars to the Australian economy every year and employs thousands of people. We’re confident our NEIS graduates will be active participants in that contribution and go on to have very successful careers.”

Simply ‘Delaide’ is on show at Paper String Plastic, 99A Hindley Street, Adelaide, until 28 December.

Above photo from left: Prins Ralston, Mission Australia Executive Leader - Employment Solutions; with Kate Ellis, the Minister for Employment Participation; Rebecca Murdoch, Job Services Australia Contract Manager, and gallery co-owner Magdalena Tomaszewski.