Caitlin Strokosch serves as president and CEO of the National Performance Network (NPN), a national peer organization-based arts service organization. She has been working professionally as an arts administrator for about 20 years but is a classically-trained cellist who has also sang and played guitar in a punk band. We sat down with Caitlin in New Orleans to talk about what’s happening in the creative communities of New Orleans and how NPN has worked with artists across the country to help advance their careers.

Teach someone to fish… This platitude has been variously ascribed to ancient philosopher Laozi or medieval philosopher Maimonides. Either way, it’s been with us a long time, you’ve all heard it, and I don’t need to expand upon it here. However banal it may be, the sentiment is a major part of our guiding philosophy here at Fractured Atlas.

When you’re raising money as an artist, it’s easy to spend all your energy on soliciting new donations. Whether you’re busy leveraging connections, creating crowdfunding campaigns, writing solicitation letters, crafting elegant social media communications, or all of the above, it can feel like a full-time job. Once the donation finally comes in, however, things are just getting started.

What is risk? Risk is uncertainty and a chance of loss. Everyone faces risk. There are everyday risks -- when you drive a car, when you’re unsure if you’ve left the stove on, if you leave your camera on the train — and then there are those risks that you encounter when making art — when you produce a play and deadlines are missed, transfer a painting and knock into a wall, throw a fundraiser and a volunteer gets food poisoning, teach a class and a student slips and falls, the list goes on.. You can try to protect yourself against risk in several ways:

The Harkness Foundation is accepting applications for their Dance Grants. Description The Harkness Foundation for Dance is a private grant-making foundation dedicated to invigorating and supporting the dance art fo rm, predominantly in New York City. Since its inception the Foundation has contributed significantly to the dance field, extending grants to over 560 organizations. The Harkness Board of Trustees meets three times annually to consider proposals.

Laurel True is a mosaic artist specializing in public and community-based artwork. She facilitates trainings and teaches people how to make large-scale mosaic murals and architectural mosaics. Laurel’s work can be found in streets all over the world but has also been commissioned for commercial and residential installations. She has been a member of Fractured Atlas since 2011 and recently sat down with us to talk about her work, life as an artist in New Orleans, and how being a member of Fractured Atlas has helped to improve the business side of her arts projects.

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.

When you set out as an artist to answer the question, "How do I make art?" there is a whole host of funding and labor considerations you may not initially consider. Supplies funding, as well as management of the business aspects of an artist's work, can prove cumbersome and overwhelming. They can also seem far removed from your true mission of creating your actual art. But there are many options out there to provide artist help and support you on your path.

Dread Scott is a community-engaged artist and his fiscally-sponsored project, Slave Rebellion Reenactment, was a winner of the 2016 MAP Fund Award. Taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 8-9, 2019, the Slave Rebellion Reenactment is a community-engaged artistic performance and film production.

The California Arts Council is accepting applications for their Arts & Public Media Opportunity. Description Arts and Public Media supports multiplatform media projects by nonprofit media organizations that build public awareness and support for the arts. Supported projects engage Californians with authentic local stories and experiences centered on the value of arts, culture, and creative expression within California.