Supporting Creative Ways

A little follow-up note on my first blog on Detroit's Image, I checked out a recent Travel Network episode of Anthony Bourdain - No Reservations, on food in the "rustbelt cities" of Baltimore, Buffalo & Detroit or as Mr. Bourdain put it, "Fu**ed Up cities I kind of love."  On the Detroit segment he praised the D for past automotive & music glories and asked "what the f**k happened?"

Supporting Creative Ways, part one

I believe a key component to improving the D's image is to fund and provide technical assistance to Arts & Entertainment Entrepreneurs who could be considered Creative Visionaries.  These are persons who want to make the D a better place by improving the Creative Climate through either providing a service to the Creative Community, establishing a performance - exhibition space, producing an event or festival featuring creative offerings. 

While the entrepreneur part of these types of persons would like to make a living from their efforts, it is their passion for creativity as a cause for social exchange that often drives them in their pursuits.  There are a number of individuals and small groups that independently produce events to provide exposure for creative talent and many times they are lucky if they break even.  Some efforts prove fortunate when they manage to turn a regular event into a moderate to major success.

I recently came across an interesting site Tactical Philanthropy the personal blog of Sean Stannard-Stockton, principal and director of Tactical Philanthropy at Ensemble Capital Management.  The blog is an open space for discussion of philanthropy and a chronicle of The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy.

"To practice Tactical Philanthropy is to organize, optimize, and transfer philanthropic capital in ways that maximize the impact of the donor’s strategic plan. It is the practice of transforming philanthropic strategy into reality." 

In one post he wrote about The Awesome Foundation for Arts and Sciences:

"We support people doing awesome things in the world. Every month we give out a grant. 

What is Awesome?

Awesomeness is often overlooked by mainstream culture, which tends to rehash the same broadly appealing but mediocre creations. Thankfully, there is the web.

Awesomeness is more the product of a creator’s passion than the prospect of audience or profit. Awesome creations are novel and non-obvious, evoking surprise and delight. Invariably, something about them perfectly reflects the essence of the medium, moment, or method of creation. Awesomeness challenges and inspires.

Submit an awesome idea. If we pick it, we’ll give you $1,000 in cash. Yup, $1,000. Cash." 

I submitted one of my Awesome Ideas, this months deadline ended last Friday and they haven't made an announcement yet.

Presently if a group decides to go the nonprofit route to be able to apply for grants they have to be able to start jumping through hoops beginning with first registering with the state as a nonprofit entity (which is the easy part) then they have to apply for 501-C3 tax exempt status from the IRS, which can be intimidating.  

If 501-C3 status is granted then the group will find that many foundations have restrictions on what they will fund and most will not fund building & equipment expenses along with events & festivals.  In general the main type of funding an arts organization can is for "programs" that serve some type of community related function.

So it's a little ironic that the main option for start-up nonprofit is to hold a fund-raising event where bands or a DJ donate their time and a bar or club owner donates the use of the venue for the cause.

It is promising that the Kresge Foundation created the Kresge Artist Fellows in the Visual Arts each including a $25,000 prize but what is also needed is a fellowship for Arts & Entertainment Entrepreneurs.

Tactical Philanthropy directed towards emerging arts related organizations and foundations supporting Awesome Ideas would go a long ways in turning around the D.

Next week part 2 on Funding Creative Ways featuring an Awesome Idea.