It’s that time of the year again – artists and arts organizations, welcome to NYSCA season! From the basics of what is NYSCA to what to do if you are a Fractured Atlas member looking to apply, we’ve got you covered.

As the art world considers the different ways that artists can be supported now and into the future, it can also be helpful to look to the past for successful models. 

At times, creative practices - the work of research, ideating, building, and crafting artwork - can feel at odds with the flow of capitalism that dictates that you always do more, go faster, and think about yourself in isolation. In this world of speed, money, and individualism at the forefront, what does it mean to slow down and think intentionally about where artists and the economic ecosystem generated by the arts industry fit in within the greater world? “Solidarity Not Charity - Arts & Culture Grantmaking in the Solidarity Economy: A Rapid Report” written by Nati Linares and Caroline Woolard presents one answer to this inquiry. This report covers how artists and culture bearers fit into the larger solidarity economy that is growing; organizations, individuals, and collectives who are transforming how we think about funding and wealth building; and numerous actions we can take to educate ourselves and enact change.

Language in "These Unprecedented Times” The protests ignited by George Floyd’s murder are still going strong as the public demands changes to the systems of the past that have perpetuated injustices. Artists have played a large role in this movement. This isn’t new. Artists have always been integral to social justice movements. From Emory Douglas’ drawings that are now widely associated with the Black Panther Party to the three queer Chinese American performance artists (Kitty Tsui, Merle Woo, and Canyon Sam) that started the Unbound Feet Collective moving Asian American feminism forward. Artists can affect great change.

In the fall of 2018, I learned my grandma had a brain aneurysm and needed to get surgery to remove it. My grandma raised me when I was young, so when I heard the news I knew I needed to go back home. The thing was my home is a long 15-hour plane ride away in South Korea, and I had just started a new job at Fractured Atlas after spending over a year in job hunting purgatory.

Making art is not an easy process. You need all the help and support you can get to make your vision come true. Your support system can include your friends who send you encouraging texts in the midst of an exhibition install, patrons who monetarily fund your project, visitors who attend your artist talks, and institutions that provide additional programs and services. This moving, breathing ecosystem includes the arts service organization.

  What digital tools do you have to help boost your artistic practice? There are many available at the tip of your fingers. Photo credit: The Gender Spectrum Collection https://broadlygenderphotos.vice.com/guidelines

Fractured Atlas is excited to host four free workshops for artists and creative organizations in the Cleveland area on November 15 and 16, 2018. Through a generous grant from The George Gund Foundation, Fractured Atlas will share with Cleveland’s creative communities a business bootcamp; workshops on conflict resolution and diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a discussion of the intersection of arts, policy, and activism.