Creative entrepreneurs – artists, designers, performers, makers, cultural innovators – are business owners who generate revenue, employ workers, pay taxes, and strengthen local and state economies. One of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S., the creative economy drives innovation, tourism, and place-based development, making communities more vibrant and competitive and making regions more attractive to employers and residents alike.
Recognizing creative enterprises as legitimate businesses ensures them access to the same tools as other small enterprises – capital, loans, training, tax incentives, and procurement opportunities – empowering them to thrive, expand, and fully contribute to economic vitality and resilience across the Commonwealth.
Last year, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed that only 49.4% of businesses, primarily small businesses, make it past their fifth year, with approximately 39.7% of them ending within their first three years. This is often attributed to a lack of access to sufficient financial resources to effectively fund operations, invest in growth, or prepare for unexpected costs.
In response to those statistics, Mass Cultural Council has launched a new addition to our website: Business Resources for Creatives & Entrepreneurs.
It serves as a starting point for cultural sector constituents to access the resources they need to start, grow, relocate and/or and sustain their creative business, while underlying the importance of the sector’s contribution to the Massachusetts economy and allowing the Agency to amplify the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Business Front Door initiative.
The resources we’ve compiled are meant to help artists and entrepreneurs take the next step, turning their creative endeavors into businesses and/or equipping their current business operations with what they need to continue to thrive.
Artists, designers, makers, performers, and cultural innovators can access state and local resources offering:
- Business development workshops
- Mentorship
- Technical assistance
- Guidance on marketing
- Resources for planning
- Help finding workspace
- Financing
to help transform creative work into sustainable enterprises AND connect creatives to networks of peers, partners, and opportunities for long-term growth.
This list has been carefully curated, incorporating feedback and information from our cross-sector partners and our creative practitioners. We hope it will continue to evolve based on the ongoing needs expressed by our sector.
We warmly welcome and appreciate all feedback and additions as they come.
Visit Business Resources for Creatives & Entrepreneurs
Image: Zooguu Handmade at Arts Fest Beverly, hosted by Beverly Main Streets in the Beverly Arts District. Photo: Carolyn Cole.
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