13Investing in Artists Who Shape the Future
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INVESTING IN ARTISTS WHO SHAPE THE FUTURE 20 13 “It is difficult to put Creative Capital has committed into words how powerful $29 million to 529 innovative the Creative Capital Artist Retreat has been artists with big ideas through for us, and all of our funding , counsel and career peers. It is disorienting to feel so much support, development services . encouragement and This has been another banner year for Creative Capital, including the wisdom. And we think announcement of 46 new grantees in Emerging Fields, Literature and Performing we understand this Arts; our artists making national headlines and impacting communities with revolution that you are their boundary-pushing work; and our continued commitment to surrounding creating. We felt that we artists with the resources they need to be successful. were seeing the future We believe that artists are entrepreneurs in the cultural arena and that they of America in all of its deserve access to tools and resources that parallel what is available in other complicated glory—as if sectors. That’s why we partner with our grantees over the long-term to help all of these artists’ them transform their careers. We have seen our model break the cycle of artists working project-to-project, building the sustainable practices needed for them to work are one radical body, thrive as artistic visionaries and affect change as creative placemakers. each resonating on a different frequency Building on this core belief that artists with healthy careers grow healthy communities, our Professional Development Program brings our model for of the same music. Some self-management and strategic planning to artists across the U.S. Now in its more from the head, 10th year, this artist-centered system has helped 6,500 artists working in all some more from the heart, disciplines achieve success as they define it. some more from the As we look back on the last 15 years, and 2013 in particular, we have so gut, but all from a sense much to celebrate. I am incredibly proud of the Creative Capital system, and of wanting to change our even more proud of what our remarkable grantees have accomplished as they society to become a more envision and invent the world of tomorrow. compassionate, inclusive I hope you enjoy reading about some of our activities this year, and that you will and honest place.” join us in investing in artists who shape the future. Joshua Kohl & Haruko Best wishes, Nishimura, Degenerate Art Ensemble, 2013 Performing Arts Ruby Lerner President & Founding Director Creative Capital PHOTO BY GULSHAN KIRAT DEGENERATE ART ENSEMBLE PHOTO BY BRUCE TOM 2 CREATIVE CAPITAL 2013 YEAR-END REPORT 3 WORKING WITH ARTISTS Creative Capital’s unique model The Retreat is the centerpiece of our of grantmaking is based on the Artist Services. The 2013 Retreat in core principle that time and Williamstown, MA, was our largest advisory services are as crucial convening to date, attended by 350 to success as funding. Our artists, arts professionals and arts pioneering approach, inspired by advocates. This four-day event included venture-capital principles, helps artists presentations by 86 artists on their working in all creative disciplines realize works-in-progress, consultations and their visions and build sustainable networking events, and focus sessions practices. In addition to a total of on key issues in the field. $50,000 in financial support provided “It’s so great to know solidly that at key moments in a project’s life, we I have a team of allies to provide The 2013 grantees came to Williamstown offer each grantee a flexible program guidance. From the office staff to my two days early for Pre-Retreat workshops WORKING WITH ARTISTS of advisory support valued at $40,000. concentrating on the public phase of Cohort leader to the team of outside their projects—helping the artists Over the last two years, we have consultants and advisors, the entire reach their desired constituencies and enhanced our Artist Services to create Creative Capital ‘family’ has rapidly maximize their impact. a more individualized structure that surrounds grantees with the resources, become the essential and primary To extend the powerful spirit of information and people they need to team in my professional life.” convening we created at the Retreat, achieve their project and career goals. Quintan Ana Wikswo, we’ve launched Community Capital, a 2013 Emerging Fields program that facilitates and financially Each grantee now has a Project supports regional gatherings organized Support Team, comprised of a staff “The infusion from Creative by Creative Capital artists throughout member, a previously funded artist who Capital’s Loan Fund allowed the year. serves as their Artist Advisor, and a us to meet pressing financial Cohort of fellow new grantees. The obligations and advance Expanded Alumni Loan Fund team may also include professionals In 2011, with funding from the Andrew across artistic disciplines and experts our work on ‘Citizen Koch.’ W. Mellon Foundation, Creative Capital in topics their work is addressing. In the face of scarce launched the Loan Fund for Performing Additionally, artists have access to foundation funding, dwindling Arts, offering low-interest loans to clinics to help guide them through government support, and grantees who have completed their legal, financial, business planning and Creative Capital-supported projects. PR questions. powerful forces that isolate Thanks to a major contribution from the political artists and push our Estate of Theo Westenberger, we Our working relationship with new work to the margins, Creative expanded the Loan Fund in 2013 to grantees begins with a three-day support new projects in all disciplines by Orientation, an intensive series of Capital always has our back.” alumni grantees. An artist can only presentations and discussions focused “Often artists want to share what Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, receive a Creative Capital grant once, on the money, space, people and time they are working on among peers 2008 Film/Video but the loan program allows us to their projects require. Grantees meet to get early feedback on a project. continue to support our grantees as they with their Artist Advisors and Cohorts to move on to their next projects, while discuss issues affecting their field and With Creative Capital’s support, also helping them build good credit and troubleshoot questions about their we organized a Community Capital learn to responsibly manage their individual practices. Our Project event at Eyebeam for grantees to financial lives. The loans, which are Workbook helps artists address these present their work, mingle and underwritten by Creative Capital, are issues and create a strategic plan accompanied by the opportunity to once they’ve returned home. exchange ideas.” participate in a financial planning clinic. eteam, 2009 Emerging Fields 4 CREATIVE CAPITAL 2013 YEAR-END REPORT 5 NEWS AND MILESTONES Creative Capital and our artists James Coupe (2009 Emerging Fields) were everywhere in 2013—in exhibited the responsive media the headlines, at major festivals and installation Swarm at the Museum of venues—and we celebrated the Contemporary Canadian Art, in premieres of 14 supported projects. conjunction with the Toronto International Film Festival. Swarm Byron Au Yong & Aaron Jafferis marks the culmination of Coupe’s (2009 Performing Arts) premiered their Creative Capital-supported project, eclectic music-theater work Stuck Surveillance Suite, which employs Elevator at American Conservatory contemporary surveillance technology Theater in San Francisco. Based on to highlight demographic profiling the true story of a Chinese food practices. deliveryman who was trapped in an NEWS AND MILESTONES elevator in the Bronx for 81 hours, the Rodney Evans (2008 Film/Video) production received glowing reviews celebrated the theatrical release of The and toured to the Art & Ideas Festival KEN JACOBS Happy Sad, a feature film that follows in New Haven, CT. two couples whose lives become intertwined as they explore sexual Brad Butler (2012 Film/Video) and identity and redefine monogamy. The film collaborator Karen Mirza premiered also screened at Frameline37 in San Direct Speech Acts, a series of films Francisco, QFest in Philadelphia and exploring the complexities of fearless Outfest in Los Angeles. speech, in a solo exhibition at the Walker Art Center. The show was Ken Jacobs (2012 Film/Video) praised in an Artforum review by Julia premiered two new films supported by Bryan-Wilson as “an urgent and timely Creative Capital in the MoMA exhibition provocation.” Carte Blanche: Ken Jacobs, commemorating the artist’s 80th Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Véréna birthday. These films, entitled Joys of Paravel (2012 Film/Video) celebrated Waiting for the Broadway Bus and A the theatrical release of Leviathan, Primer in Sky Socialism, represent which has screened in more than 25 LISA SIGAL Jacobs’ current experiments in digital international film festivals. The film, 3-D filmmaking. which captures the clash of man, nature and machine in the harsh Kalup Linzy (2008 Visual Arts) released theater of long-haul commercial fishing, his feature-length film Romantic Loner received rave reviews, including NPR, online, and presented a live performance The Wall Street Journal, and Dennis version of the film at MoMA PS1, Lim of The New York Times, who wrote, co-sponsored by the Tribeca Film LAURIE JO REYNOLDS “Leviathan looks and sounds like no Institute. other documentary in memory…” Neal Medlyn (2013 Performing Arts) DANIEL SOUSA Anita Chang (2008 Film/Video) presented King, the finale of a premiered her documentary Tongues performance series inspired by pop of Heaven, which explores the stars, at The Kitchen in New York. Built questions, desires and challenges of around Michael Jackson, King includes young indigenous peoples learning the radically rethought versions of Jackson’s languages of their forebears, at the music and considerations of Medlyn’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.