ArtSake

You get the sense DangerMilana is a unique law firm when you learn that A. They’ve created their own board game, and B. They invite your dog (socialized and well-behaved, naturally) to their events. The firm, which specializes in areas of importance to creative individuals - entertainment law, intellectual property & copyrights, and estate planning - is holding a series of free workshops to discuss legal issues relevant to artists, inventors and entrepreneurs.

You can join attorneys Deborah Danger and Jenny Milana on upcoming Fridays as part of a free workshop series, with discussion and refreshments starting at 6:30 PM at their Allston, MA office. Here’s the upcoming schedule:

• Protecting Your Work with Copyrights, 4/23/2010, Come learn about the basics of copyright law and how your copyright can generate more income for you.
• Digital Works in a Digital World, 4/30/2010, In the digital world we live in, come learn about the importance of inventorying and how to keep up with advancing technologies.
• Protecting Your Work with a Will, 5/7/2010, We’ll discuss how important an estate plan is for the creative person’s work and the effects of not having a plan in place.
• Contract Drafting, Negotiating and Reviewing, 5/14/2010, If your work is hanging in a gallery, whose responsible if your work is damaged? We’ll cover questions like that and more for many of the different industries.
• Running a Business as an Artist, Inventor or Entrepreneur, 5/21/2010, Learn about which business entity best suits your goals, financial needs and envisioned format of your venture.
• Board Game Testing, 5/28/2010, Come test the firm’s new board game! There will be prizes and candy!

All events take place at 6:30 PM, at DangerMilana, 119 Braintree Street, Studio 416 Allston, MA 02134. You can also drop in or call each Friday between 4:30-6:30 for a free, private and confidential 15 minute consultation. (And yes, you are encouraged to bring your socialized and well behaved dog to the workshops.)

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Around the Webs
A Very Martha Engagement: when Crystal Hanehan, a Boston-area artist specializing in handmade, vintage-inspired, spun cotton creations through her business Vintage by Crystal, appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, it was already shaping up to be a propitious day. Then she was proposed to by her boyfriend. On air. (I’ve heard of using Martha designs for your special occasions, but adorning the moment with the actual Martha – now that’s good style.)

From the Boston Globe: a local architectural firm wants to transform an abandoned T tunnel into a subterreanean art space. The proposal, called TUTS (Tremont Underground Theater Space) won the ShiftBoston Ideas Competition 2009 for “provocative wild visions for the City of Boston.” The proposed space would be multi-use, and best of all, wouldn’t be overrun with vicious Morlocks for another 800,000 years!

The Art21 blog talks to Laura Thompson at Kidspace, which has incorporated the work of dozens of individual artists during its 10 years providing young museum goers with creative awesomeness at MASS MoCA in North Adams.

A new online publication, Defunct Magazine, collects essays about things that have gone – or are going – bye bye. AGNI editor Sven Birkerts contributes musings on the rake – “not yet a relic, but a technology on the verge.”

Congratulations, Massachusetts
Bravo to Paul Harding of Georgetown, Mass., whose novel Tinkers won a 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His debut novel, no less. The New York Times Paper Cut blog calls the novel “one that got away” - as in went under the paper’s radar when it came out, but one will no doubt get its due now.

The Berkshire Taconic ART Fund has announced over $150,000-worth of smiles/grants to New England artists and arts organizations.

I need a hero. Had Bonnie Tyler meant, in her classic 1980s ballad “Holding Out for a Hero,” a hero of the theater, in the Boston area, the next line could’ve been, “More specifically, Michael Maso, Managing Director of the Huntington Theatre Company, who was just named Theatre Hero by the theatre service organization StageSource!” (Would’ve changed the nature of the song a bit, but still.)

Congratulations to writer Brendan Mathews of Great Barrington, whose short story “My Last Attempt to Explain to You What Happened with the Lion Tamer” was selected by Richard Russo for inclusion in Best American Short Stories 2010. Brendan has been published all over the place, including Glimmer Train, Virginia Quarterly Review, and The Southwest Review, and teaches at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. (Incidentally, does anyone know about other Massachusetts writers who have been selected for the upcoming Best American collection? Leave a comment and spread the love!)

Getting Strong Now
On New England Film, the Screenplay Doctor answers some screenwriters’ questions, mostly about agents: the need for, and the locating of, the writing to.

Fractured Atlas, a national artists’ services organization, has online courses – free, gratis, and fer nuthin’! Courses on marketing, fundraising, working with agents, and more are available to members (and it’s free to become a Fractured Atlas “Community Member”).

Interested in finding an agent/publisher for your novel? Boston-area writer Dell Smith gets down to the basics of that most basic effort of the would-be published author: the Query Letter.

Image: Crystal Hanehan of Vintage by Crystal, Vintage Style Spun Cotton Birds in a Tree Wedding Cake Topper. See more of her creations at her Etsy store.

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Professional success in the arts is about creating pathways - creatively and in one’s career. Organizations like ARTmorpheus, a Boston-based nonprofit that promotes a vibrant artistic community and economic revitalization for working artists, help artists forge those paths.

We recently received an email announcement from ARTmorpheus listing a number of upcoming professional development opportunities for artists. This post re-posts some of those opportunities (and also re-re-posts some opportunities we’ve previously listed but thought could use another “re-”).

Free talk on making a living as an artist
The Arts and Business Council of Boston will host Jackie Battenfield for a free talk on Artists Making a Living. Battenfield, the author of The Artist’s Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love, will speak on the fundamental skills artists need to develop and sustain a professional life. It will cover tips on how to plan, promote, fund, organize, and build community, with half of the time reserved for audience questions. The event takes place on April 6, 6-8 PM, in the Function Room at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

Upcoming ARTmorpheus roundtables
There are two upcoming events hosted by ARTmorpheus for artists working in any media: April 13 at the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, Artists Roundtable featuring Jessica Burko on social media marketing for artists; and on May 4 at the Calderwood Pavilion, BCA, Artists Roundtable featuring Susan Dupuis, of Dupuis & Co, LLC, an income tax consultant and licensed attorney, on recordkeeping and taxes. Both events take place 5:30-7 PM. Both events are free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a food item to share. RSVP (and/or send questions) to Liora Beer.

PRIME Program from the International Institute of Boston
Offering free guidance and resources for small businesses (including artist-entrepreneurs). A free business class begins April 20, with a few spots still remaining. Visit the program’s website for more info.

Artist Business Training
One-and-a-half day workshops led by the UMass Arts Extension Service to address business basics and key issues that artists confront in the current economy; free to resident artists.

• April 21-22 Petersham, Petersham Town Hall (contact Sarah McMaster at North Quabbin Woods for more info or to sign up)
• April 28-29 Springfield, Schibelli Hall, Springfield Technical Community College (contact Tracy Woods at Art for the Soul Gallery)
• May 5-6 Northampton, Dynamite Space (contact Julia Handschuh)

Disaster Aid for Small Businesses and Individuals Affected by Flooding in Mass.
President Obama declared Massachusetts a federal disaster area, which will give victims of the recent floods - both residents and businesses - access to Federal Disaster relief, including grants and low interest loans. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Worcester, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Bristol Counties, can register for aid online or by calling the FEMA Teleregistration number: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.

Disaster Aid Grants for Artisans from the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
CERF would like to make sure that any professional craft artist who has been seriously affected by the flooding is aware of the disaster relief assistance available from CERF. If, as a craft artist, you have suffered loss, contact CERF when able. Programs include grants up to $1500 and loans up to $8000, booth fee waivers at craft shows, discounts on materials and equipment from suppliers and manufacturers, and assistance with business development through referrals to consultants and other low or no-cost resources. For eligibility requirements and more detailed information, visit Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF).

Image: Christopher Faust (Painting Fellow ‘10), TUNNEL (2009), Acrylic on canvas, 28×36 in.

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There are a handful of upcoming opportunities for artists’ professional development - so on your marks, get set, etc!

March 15 – deadline for New England filmmakers to apply for LEF New England Fellowships to support attendance to the Flaherty Seminar in NYC. The Flaherty Seminar, June 19-25, 2010 at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, is a great opportunity for film artists to connect with programmers, scholars, and other filmmakers from around the globe. The LEF Fellowships can help New England filmmakers attend.

March 19 – ARTmorpheus partners with Fractured Atlas to present Raising Money to Support Your Creative Endeavors, a fundraising workshop for emerging artist of all disciplines and start-up arts non-profits. To RSVP, contact Liora Beer.

March 24 - Free Trailers Workshop for filmmakers at the Center for Independent Documentary in Newton. Register here.

Artist Business Training – one-and-a-half day workshops led by the UMass Arts Extension Service to address business basics and key issues that artists confront in the current economy

• April 21-22 Petersham, Petersham Town Hall (contact Sarah McMaster at North Quabbin Woods for more info or to sign up)
• April 28-29 Springfield, Schibelli Hall, Springfield Technical Community College (contact Tracy Woods at Art for the Soul Gallery)
• May 5-6 Northampton, Dynamite Space (contact Julia Handschuh)

Ongoing - PRIME Program from the International Institute of Boston – offering free guidance and resources for small businesses (including artist-entrepreneurs). Visit the Program’s website for more info.

Ongoing - Assets for Artists teams with City of Pittsfield to help artists buy homes or start-up/expand arts businesses in Pittsfield. Visit Berkshire Creative for more details.

If you know of any other upcoming professional development opportunities we’ve missed, let us know!

Image: Daniel Ranalli (Drawing Fellow ‘10), SNAIL DRAWING/DOUBLE LINE START (2007), Snail drawing in sand, 20×28 in.

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On Friday, March 19, 2010, ARTmorpheus will host Fractured Atlas, a national arts service organization, for a workshop for emerging individual artists and arts organizations entitled Fundraising and Fiscal Sponsorship: Raising Money to Support Your Creative Endeavors.

The event will take place in the Arts Resource Room of the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 5:30-7:30 PM.

Diane Debicella, Program Director from Fractured Atlas, will provide an overview of the fundraising process that will address such issues as:

• How do arts organizations in the US fund their operations?
• Who gives money to the arts, why do they give it, who gets the money and how do you find it?
• What are the differences between individual and institutional giving?
• What is fiscal sponsorship and how can it help you?
• What do you need to submit a grant proposal?

There is a suggested donation: $10. Maximum Capacity is 25. To RSVP, contact Liora Beer from ARTmorpheus.

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ArSake has been thinking a lot about the economy lately and how artists navigate their current economic realities. Artist Tabitha Vevers’ monetary policy is to take this subject straight on through her painting.

Tabitha Vevers: Value Added

Artist’s Statement:
With so much talk about the ups and downs of the economy, I began to wonder if I could take matters into my own hands, adding value to US currency by painting on it. In what quickly became addictive, I began painting on singles, and eventually worked my way through twos, fives, and tens, all the way to one hundred dollar bills. In Sally Hemings, the imagined eye of Jefferson’s lover gazes out from a two-dollar bill. In the Nest Egg paintings, broken eggshells and gold leaf echo the oval shape that once framed the portraits of US statesmen. These paintings are, in a sense, collaborations with the various Treasury Secretaries, such as Hank Paulson and Larry Summers, whose signatures adorn the currency. The work raises issues about art and commerce: is a painting on a $100 bill worth more than one on a $5 bill? Is the value of an art object in the artist’s work or the paper it is painted on? Is the currency worth more or less now that it can no longer be spent?

By purchasing this work, the collector becomes part of the Value Added series itself by establishing that the value of a work of art is greater than the materials used to create it. It is my hope that viewers will encourage their congressmen to support the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, which “amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow artists to deduct the fair market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.” http://museums-now.blogspot.com/2009/04/advocate-let-artists-get-tax-deductions.html

Eden Series + Value Added by Tabitha Vevers, as well as work by Rama Rejman and Elaine Spatz-Rabinowitz is currently on display at the Art Institute of Boston Gallery at University Hall, (Lesley University/Porter Exchange Building), 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 11 from 6-8pm
Exhibition dates: February 4 – March 6, 2010
Gallery Hours: Tues + Wed 12-5pm, Thurs 3-8pm, Fri + Sat 12-5pm

It’s All About the Hamiltons: The 2nd Artists’ Roundtable, sponsored by ARTmorpheus/BCA, will will take place on Wednesday, February 10, from 5:30 to 7:30pm in the Cyclorama, at the Boston Center for the Arts.

These free of charge roundtables provide artists with the opportunity to talk about their professional needs and exchange resources. In addition, each month features a guest presenter. Their co-sponsor for this month’s Roundtable is the Massachusetts Society of CPAs and Susan Dupuis, an income tax consultant and an attorney who will answer your recordkeeping and tax questions.

This roundtable follows their two-session Basic Finance for Artists workshop, which will conclude on Monday, Feb 8. There is no pre-requisite attendance or knowledge for attending the Roundtables. The only thing they request is that if you plan to attend on Feb 10th, please RSVP to beer@artmorpheus.org to ensure adequate seating and consider bringing an edible item to share.

It’s All About the Washingtons: If you’re interested in further honing your business finance knowledge, you may also be interested in registering for and attending Business Finance and Accounting Basics, at the Copley Square main branch of the Boston Public Library on March 23, from 6-8pm. There is no charge for this program. For more information, contact the Boston Regional Office & Minority Business Center at 617-287-7750 or register online.

Image credit: Tabitha Vevers’ VALUE ADDED: Watching II (after Hank Paulson) © 2009 oil on US currency

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Attention artists of all disciplines who are either in the Boston-area or can be with a little effort: ARTmorpheus is hosting a two-session workshop on Basic Finance for Artists, this coming Monday, January 11 and continuing on Monday, February 8, 2010. The workshops run 6-8 PM at the Boston Center for the Arts‘ Cyclorama in Boston.

The workshop is pay-what-you-can (suggested donation, $40), and topics will include:

• Budgeting, Cash Flow, and Net Worth
• Debt and Credit
• Savings, Investing, and Retirement
• Goal-setting and Long-term Planning

Enrollment is limited; find out more about the workshops and how to enroll here.

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Artists interested in expanding business skills can attend an upcoming info session in Boston.

The International Institute of Boston has announced the PRIME program, offering a limited number of openings for free assistance to small businesses (including artists).

Among the PRIME services: business classes and coaching, and assistance such as legal help and website design.

Artists interested in learning more should attend an upcoming info session:

Dec. 1 (Tues) 2:30 p.m. OR 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 (Mon) 2:30 OR 6:30 p.m.
(Choose one date/time only!)
All sessions held at One Milk Street, 4th Floor.
(2 mins from Downtown Crossing and State Street T stops.)

Massachusetts residents only. Income & other eligibility criteria apply.

To sign up for an info session, or for more information, email the PRIME program.

Massachusetts residency is a must for the PRIME program, and there is an income qualification. Also, applicants must demonstrate seriousness about business success and completing the training. Note that all info sessions, as well as all PRIME business assistance classes/meetings, will be in Boston.

The PRIME program is funded in part by the US Small Business Administration. Contact the PRIME program for more information.

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Listen up artists and arts & cultural organizations: help may be on the way. From redesigning a website to setting up a wireless network, tech-savvy volunteers are waiting to lend a helping hand. Idealist and Mozilla will be hosting Mozilla Service Week, September 14 - 21, to pair thousands of volunteers with nonprofit organizations that need some tech help.

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Does just the thought of tax forms, payroll filings, and recordkeeping give you the heebie jeebies? Well breathe deeply and relax. A group of volunteers are ready to answer your questions. Most of us want and enjoy money (when we have it), so why not get your fiscal house in order?

Welcome to the “Ask a CPA Day,” sponsored by the Young Professional Community Service Committee. These brave volunteer CPA’s are offering free hour consulting sessions to entrepreneurs, start-ups and small business owners. Just remember, they are people too, and they like numbers and understand this work. That’s why they can actually help you.

Questions to be answered include:
Business setup
Income tax filings
Payroll filings
Sales and use filings
Recordkeeping

Where: MSCPA Office, 10 Chauncy Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02111

When: Friday, August 21, 8am-4pm.
Registration is required for this event. Register here.

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