Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Artists of Color
Through the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce two sessions of the Artist As Entrepreneur Boot Camp Program for New York City artists of color.
Customized to fit the needs of participants and partners, the Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp, offered by NYFA since 2010, is an intensive, multi-day professional development opportunity that delves into the fundamental principles of sustainability in the arts. Topics featured include finance, law, marketing, and fundraising.
The Boot Camp will consist of lectures, case studies, panels, breakout groups, and time for individual reflection. Participants will also work through a flexible and dynamic “action plan,” that provides a blueprint for future projects, career, and business goals.
In collaboration with artist and NYFA board member Elia Alba (Fellow in Crafts ‘01, Photography ‘08), the program will begin with The Supper Club, which Elia has been organizing since 2012. The Supper Club began as a series of three conversations over dinner amongst artists of color about race and visual culture. The first three suppers included 50 artists, each of whom Elia has photographed in a series of portraits that uniquely depict each individual. Since its inception, The Supper Club has continued to evolve as a socially engaged project with over 20 dinners to date, which have linked race with subjects like freedom of expression in Cuban culture; Baltimore, race and identity (a tribute to Freddie Gray); transnational black identity; racial subjugation in Latin America; and her last dinner focused on sanctuary as a response to the shootings in Orlando which brought homophobia, xenophobia, and Islamophobia to the fore.
By combining the Boot Camp with The Supper Club, our intention is to create a space for artists of color to come together and engage in candid and supportive dialogue, providing a dedicated platform through entrepreneurial training to support their lives as artists.
The Supper Club event begins each Boot Camp program, followed by a two-day workshop, and a final two-day workshop later in the year. Additional evening meetings will be provided between workshops to support continued engagement, foster community, and build networks.
Eligibility
The Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp is provided free of charge, through a minimal and free application process. We intend to bring together a diverse group of artists from various cultural backgrounds and a wide range of artistic practices, contributing to the opportunity for dialogue, and potential collaborations. Applications will be reviewed by participating consultants, NYFA Learning Staff, and Elia Alba.
Artists of color from all disciplines and career stages are encouraged to apply.
Applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Identify as an artist of color
- Be based in one of the five boroughs of New York City
- Turn in a completed application by Wednesday, February 8, 2017, 11:59 PM EST
- Agree to be audio recorded during the conversation of The Supper Club dinner. The recorded dinner conversation will be transcribed and edited for Elia’s use, to become part of a larger collection of conversations that will be published in the future. (All comments are unattributed)
- Mandatory attendance required upon acceptance of participation
Applicants will need to include the following in the application:
- A website or link to online presence representing your artistic practice
- Narrative Bio providing background on your career
- A statement of interest in participating in the program and any long term goals
Program Dates
Spring 2017 Session:
Mandatory Sessions
The Supper Club: Friday, February 24, 6:00 PM
Location: The 8th floor, 17 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
Boot Camp Workshops:
Saturday, March 25, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 26, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Final Boot Camp Workshops:
Saturday, May 20, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, May 21, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Evening Gatherings (optional)
Tuesday, April 18, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, May 2, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
*Apart from the Supper Club event, all meetings will be held at NYFA, 20 Jay Street, Suite 740, Brooklyn, NY 11201 unless otherwise notified.
Summer 2017 Session:
Mandatory Sessions
The Supper Club: Saturday, June 24, 6:00 PM
Location: The 8th floor, 17 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
Boot Camp Workshops:
Saturday, July 22, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, July 23, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Final Boot Camp Final Workshops:
Saturday, September 23, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, September 24, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Evening Gatherings (optional)
Tuesday, August 15, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, September 6, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Notification: By Monday, February 13, 2017
How to Apply
Applicants can note which session they would like to be considered for and can also state if they are available for both. Accepted artists will only participate in ONE session. We highly recommend applicants noting program dates in their calendar.
Applicants can apply via Submittable or email a completed application to [email protected], with “Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Artists of Color” in the subject line of the email. Electronic submissions should be completed by Wednesday, February 8, 2017, 11:59PM EST. You can access the PDF here.
If you would prefer to use a hard copy to apply, which can be mailed or faxed, please call 212-366-6900 Ext 150. Faxed applications should be faxed by Wednesday, February 8, 2017, 5:30 PM EST, and mailed applications should arrive by the day of the deadline to NYFA, at 20 Jay Street, Suite 740, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Questions: [email protected]
This program is made possible with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Thank you to Shelley and Donald Rubin, who are graciously sharing their gallery and event space, The 8th Floor. Our thanks to NYFA Board Member Elia Alba for her generous support.
Images of The Supper Club with NYFA affiliated artists at The 8th Floor, November 2015, from top: Courtesy Elia Alba, Photo by William Furio; Courtesy Elia Alba, Photo by William Furio. Art in background: Andrea Bowers, Workers’ Rights Posters, 2013, courtesy of the artist and Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York; Courtesy Elia Alba, Photo by William Furio. Art in background: Edgar Heap of Birds, Nuance of Sky/Words Are Open, 2012, courtesy of the artist
