If you’re like me (and roughly 90% of US taxpayers), you claim the standard deduction when you file your income taxes each year. For those of us who don't have enough qualifying expenses (mortgage interest, property taxes, etc.) to itemize when we file, the standard deduction probably makes the most sense. Because of this, I am not able to deduct my charitable contributions, despite the fact that I donate to 501(c)(3) organizations.

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably one of the millions of artists who are trying to put together the pieces of not just your craft, but your life. The COVID-19 outbreak has forced us all to rethink our daily living routines and cope with the reality of deferred goals for the year. The arts community has been faced with the double challenge of re-focusing their efforts in how they share their work with their audience, in addition to likely losing other sources of income (especially for artists working in the service industry). For many, this means losing your venue, canceled rehearsals, interrupted travel arrangements, or little-to-no audience turnout.

These days, you can fund your creative work in a variety of ways—crowdfunding, sustaining donors, grants, and more. But it can be overwhelming to know where to start and which options are the best for your unique needs and goals. One tool that artists can use to maximize the benefit of grants and individual fundraising is matching grants. Our teams work with artists to help you learn more about grants, find grants to apply to, and then apply with greater confidence. Matching grants combine traditional grants and individual fundraising into one funding opportunity that is greater than the sum of its parts. They help organizations who are giving grants make their money go further, and give recipients access to more money than with just a grant or individual fundraising alone. But, they require additional fundraising efforts from the grantee to secure that funding. Let's take a look at how matching grant opportunities work for artists, and how you can determine if they might be right for you.

Singer and songwriter Morgan James recently released Memphis Magnetic, a new soul album and Fractured Atlas fiscally-sponsored project. Although Morgan is based in New York City, Memphis Magnetic was produced exclusively with musicians and studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Morgan has been a member of Fractured Atlas for about a year and shares how she successfully fundraised for and produced her new project.

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.

One of the most frustrating things about making art is figuring out how to finance making said art. What does it even mean to “make money as an artist”? What is fundraising? How do I get paid? This guide will walk you through what it means to make money as an artist and give you some tips on how to get started. We’re going to go step-by-step so you can develop a money-making plan.

by Molaundo Jones, Social Media Specialist at Fractured Atlas Eva Steinmetz, co-creator of “The Boy Project” Eva Steinmetz is co-creator of “The Boy Project,” a theater piece in which Philadelphia boys ages 12–15 imagine their futures as men. Eva is based in Philadelphia and has been a member of Fractured Atlas since November 2017. “The Boy Project” currently has a fundraising campaign running on our crowdfunding site, Fundraising by Fractured Atlas.

Are you an artist or creative looking to execute a project or take your work to the next level? Has someone told you that you or your arts organization should be fiscally sponsored? Are you curious about “physical sponsorship”?

by Molaundo Jones, Social Media Specialist at Fractured Atlas Elina Akselrud | Photo by Marc Serhan Elina Akselrud is founder of Intertwining Arts and creator of CROSSOVER ART PROJECTS- piano performance blended with other visual and performing art genres. Intertwining Arts has been a member of Fractured Atlas since 2016 and is based between New York and Lucerne, Switzerland.

by Molaundo Jones, Social Media Specialist at Fractured Atlas Ashleigh Gordon and Anthony R. Green Ashleigh Gordon and Anthony R. Green are the creators of “Castle of our Skins.” Born out of the desire to foster cultural curiosity, “Castle of our Skins” is a concert and educational series dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music. From classrooms to concert halls, “Castle of our Skins” invites exploration into Black heritage and culture, spotlighting both unsung and celebrated figures of past and present. They have been members of Fractured Atlas since 2013 and operate in the Greater Boston area.