The Boston Phoenix has an interesting article on how microfunding is proving to be an effective alternative form of support for artists.
Boston-based groups like Feast Mass, the Awesome Foundation, and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education’s CSArt program aim to make community-sourced funding more democratic and accessible. In a cash-strapped economy where arts funding has been deprioritized, such solutions have been particularly valuable.
Read more. One friendly clarification: the article references our Artist Fellowships but suggests that their scope is limited to full-time artists. (“Traditional arts grants cater to full-time visual artists… whereas community-based micro-grants are accessible to all.”)
In fact, our fellowships are not limited to any career level. Grant decisions are based solely on the strength of the work submitted, not on the resume or credentials of the artists submitting.
In other words: yes. Yes to creative, alternative funds to support artists. Yes to continued support from the state for individual artists. Yes to new art. And, while I’m at it, yes to the Clay Pigeons by Kate Marten, included above. (Because I think they are cool looking.)
Image: Kate Martens, CLAY PIGEONS (2008), Terra cotta and underglaze, 8x4x3 in (each). Kate is one of the artists selected for the inaugural CSArt Program at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education.
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