Hire Springboard - Springboard For The Arts

Overview

Springboard for the Arts partners with place-based organizations in small towns, tribal communities, rural areas, and urban centers to design and strengthen programs that support local artists and creative communities. They provide expertise and share proven program models to help communities move from idea to impact.

Services Offered

• Keynotes, presentations, workshops, and train-the-trainer opportunities
• Professional development and capital access programs for artists
• Training to mobilize artists to address community challenges
• Sustainable, locally rooted creative initiatives
• Advocacy and policy expertise on rural community development, artist economic security, and cross-sector collaboration

Workshop & Technical Assistance Programs

• Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists (direct or train-the-trainer format)
• Artists Working in Community trainings
• City/Community and Agency Trainings on working with artists
• Program design, implementation, and artist project support

Creative Change Coalition

A national coalition of place-based organizations centering people, creativity, and equity, started in 2023 and incubated at Springboard. Currently has over 200 core members and 500+ individuals and allied organizations. Work focuses on learning and field building, storytelling and public narrative, action research, and convening and consulting.

Creative Cities Initiative

A Knight Foundation partnership engaging Springboard to support eight Knight Cities in building local leadership and narratives positioning artists as leaders, developing cross-sector partnerships for community health, and creating connections for mutual learning and model sharing.

Creative Study

A subscription-based virtual library of self-paced, video-based courses for creatives. Topics include U.S. tax basics, business setup tools and considerations, and arts and economics. Subscriptions available individually or in bulk for institutions.

Geographic Focus

Springboard generally designs and implements programs in their own geographies—from Saint Paul and Fergus Falls to Minnesota to midwest regions on occasion. Outside these areas, they focus on helping organizations manage their own activities and programs with support ranging from free templates to direct training.

Contact

For more information about Creative Cities Initiative, contact [email protected]. For Creative Study inquiries, contact [email protected].