The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department has announced a new program geared towards helping artists create and sustain successful and profitable business practices. Open to creators of all disciplines, the 6-week program hopes to educate participants on the city resources available to them, goal setting skills, budgeting, tax law, intellectual property rights, marketing practices, and how to successfully propose a project. At the end of the program, participants will have an opportunity to competitively pitch proposals and win cash awards.
This is just the latest in a series of programs the city has offered to assist an art community that is continuously being challenged by rising rents and gentrification. Earlier this year, the city began the Art Space Assistance Program which is geared towards helping “arts organizations facing displacement, those previously displaced, or those facing lease renewals at significantly higher rates.” Despite the program, Pump Project, a longtime non-profit gallery and studio space in East Austin, has announced that it is expecting to soon be displaced.
Artists interested in the city’s business training program are encouraged to apply. (There is no application fee.) A panel of arts professionals will select 24 program participants based on the following criteria:
— Quality of work
— Artist’s career goals
— Artist’s readiness for the program
Accepted artists will be required to pay a one-time fee of $150. The first course is from 6:30-9:30PM on March 27 — courses continue for the next five consecutive Tuesday evenings. If you’re interested and want more information, you can attend an information session at the Museum of Human Achievement on January 10, 2018 at 1PM.
Find more information about the program here.
