The Film Lounge is a media arts program that promotes Iowan filmmakers and their contributions to the state’s cultural and economic vitality. The program is a three-way partnership between the Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Public Television and Produce Iowa, the state’s film industry office. The Film Lounge showcases short-form documentary, narrative, animated and experimental films.…
Recognizing the scarcity of investment capital available for motivated artists and creative ventures, the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) and CommunityWorks, a local community development group that strengthens the financial infrastructure of underserved areas, have launched a program to capitalize cultural entrepreneurship. Through the $1.5 million ArtsGrowSC program, SCAC and CommunityWorks are offering a savings incentive program, Artist Ventures…
Through its Artists Open Studios Tour (AOST) program, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts(RISCA) helps local artists gain public exposure, develop their audience and sell their work. AOST grants provide $500 to municipalities that facilitate or otherwise support tours of artists’ studios, which foster cultural vibrancy and, as a result, are an effective strategy for creative…
The Colorado Music Strategy is a new $200,000 public-private partnership between Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and the Bohemian Foundation that aims to generate opportunities for live music, thereby increasing revenue for musicians and presenting organizations, enriching the state’s culture, and raising its profile as a destination for the arts. The new program includes an annual music…
Since the 2010 launch of the Maine-New Brunswick Cultural Initiative, the Maine Arts Commission (MAC) has worked to foster its goals of increasing cross-border business, cultural tourism and cultural exchange. Notably, MAC has supported the initiative’s Cultural Exchange Task Force, which consists of arts professionals from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and has undertaken…
The Kentucky Arts Council (KAC) has launched a new initiative leveraging the social and physical infrastructure of farmers markets to help develop rural arts entrepreneurship. KAC’s new program, underwritten by a $51,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Agency, will connect participating artists with established produce vendors at two farmers markets…
Engaged attendees enjoy D.C.’s first 202 Arts & Music Festival. Photo by Rebecca Dupas 202Creates is a new initiative in Washington, D.C., to showcase the city’s strong creative economy and related arts, humanities and cultural assets. Demonstrating that the nation’s capital is also a capital of creativity, the initiative also is promoting STEAM (science,…
Idaho Writer in Residence Christian Winn. Photo by David Meadows The Idaho Commission on the Arts (ICA), like 28 other state arts agencies, fosters creative writing through an individual artist fellowship grant program. ICA also honors outstanding writers with the public recognition, responsibilities and financial support of its Idaho Writer in…
South Arts has kicked off a pilot program to help expand opportunities for performing arts presenters and grow the performing arts field in its nine member states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Through its Launchpad initiative, the regional arts organization is providing mentorships and other professional development services to…
Creative Minds Out Loud is the new Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) podcast “for arts and culture nerds.” An outgrowth of MCC’s many inspiring site visits with grantees and other constituents, the podcast highlights the state’s cultural capital. Through it, MCC is trying to expand the reach of the peer-to-peer learning and support engendered by its…
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