For more than 20 years, CCI has dedicated resources and space to learning about the needs of individual artists and arts workers and providing knowledge and resources directly to them. The ways we share our learnings range from workshops and convenings to publications and presentations, and are informed by our core program areas: Grants, AmbitioUS, and Sol Center for Liberated Work. Join us in our learning journey by checking out the ways we share each program area’s knowledge below:

• Grants are central to CCI’s work and connect us closely to the individual artists and arts workers we hold ourselves most accountable to. Learn about active opportunities by attending an information workshop, drop-in session, or connecting with staff for application guidance and general inquiries. Learn more HERE.

• AmbitioUS is our time-bound initiative focused on new economies that centers self-determination and cultural power among communities that have historically been extracted from and are currently under threat. Are you interested in place-based cultural resiliency through experimental funding and capital support? AmbitioUS produces knowledge and convenings for communities seeking economic strategies for greater self-determination and shared ownership and funders and impact investors interested in experimenting in this type of grantmaking work. Sign up for their newsletter HERE and learn about their trailblazing grantees HERE.

• Sol Center for Liberated Work is our program focused on social safety net issues affecting artists and other nontraditional workers. Are you interested in cross-sector gig worker coalition building, upstream policy recommendations focused on influencing the current U.S. social safety net to truly work for ALL workers, and protecting the dignity and work of artists and other nontraditional workers? Sol Center for Liberated Work produces knowledge, resources, and workshops relevant to artists, other nontraditional workers, and funders interested in these issues. Learn more HERE.

… interested in learning about all of these programs? Sign up for our newsletter and keep informed about all the learning opportunities with CCI. 

Since our founding in 2001, CCI has been committed to supporting individual artists and arts workers through entrepreneurial training. The roots of how we engage in this work today stem largely from our seminal publication: Business of Art: An Artist’s Guide to Profitable Self-Employment, which was first developed and tested in the field in 2006 and published in 2008. In conjunction with this publication sprouted our cornerstone Business of Art Training Series, which has become a steadfast resource for artists and creatives.

Over the course of our organization’s history, our work in creative entrepreneurship has manifested as Three Editions of the Business of Art: An Artist’s Guide to Profitable Self-Employment book, in-person partnerships across the state of California from the city of San José to West Hollywood, to intensive boot camps and casual office hours. All told, we’ve built an alumni pool of nearly 400 artist entrepreneurs. 

As our work continues to evolve and the landscape of entrepreneurial training for artists and creatives grows, the way you know and see our Business of Art Training Series program will change. This Fall 2024, we will host our final Center for Cultural Innovation-produced Business of Art 10-week training program. While this will be the last CCI-produced Business of Art Training series, please know that the content and heart of this curriculum will still show up in other areas of our work.

To prepare the field for the sunsetting of this impactful training series, we have planned the following activities:

TEACHING THE BUSINESS OF ART: A COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE FOR FACILITATORS:

As part of this transition, we are excited to announce a special one-time-only training for facilitators interested in honing their skills to continue the legacy of the Business of Art curriculum. Offered over four weekly 2-hour sessions, the training aims to build a (national) network of diverse CCI-trained facilitators who can continue this learning into their own networks.

LEARN MORE>> 

NEW REPRINT OF BUSINESS OF ART, THIRD EDITION:

To commemorate the conclusion of the Business of Art Training Series, we are thrilled to announce a special reprint of the Business of Art, Third Edition, which will be made available for purchase on Monday, April 8th, 2024. This updated edition encapsulates the wealth of knowledge and insights gathered from the Third Edition, with minor updates from the original contributors. 

PURCHASE DISCOUNTED THIRD EDITION HERE>> 

FINAL BUSINESS OF ART TRAINING SERIES IN FALL 2024:

Join us for a grand finale as we host the last installment of the Business of Art Training Series in Fall 2024. This culminating event will bring together seasoned trainers alongside graduates of our facilitator workshop series and will be an opportunity to celebrate the community, share success stories, and honor the journey that has unfolded over the years. Stay tuned for more details!

Throughout the course of this next year, these activities aim to celebrate the legacy of the Business of Art Training Series while ensuring that its impact continues to resonate in the arts and culture community. We invite you to be a part of these exciting initiatives and join us in commemorating the rich history and countless success stories that have emerged from this program.

Thank you to all of the trainers, contributors, Business of Art alumni, and partners in this work.

Through all the different training designs, one-off workshops, and training partnerships, one thing has remained a consistent throughline: Knowledge is power and financial independence begets creative self-determination.

AVAILABLE APRIL 2024: Reprinted in early 2024, an updated reprint of the 3rd edition of CCI’s ground-breaking resource guide: The Business of Art: An Artist’s Guide to Profitable Self-Employment is coming April 8, 2024.

To know the moment it is available, we suggest you: Sign up for our newsletter

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