UMKC hatchling Artist INC takes on new ownership, regional expansion
August 25, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
Artist INC, a program supporting hundreds of Kansas City artists, announced Thursday that it has new ownership and will further expand in the region.
Formerly a program of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Innovation Center, Artist INC is now housed and fully supported by the Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA).
A regional arts nonprofit, M-AAA serves Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Each year, M-AAA provides thousands of educational programs and performances for about one million children and adults in the Midwest.
The decision to spin off Artist INC into a new leadership will allow the career development program to expand its reach to more artists nationwide, said Maria Meyers, executive director of the UMKC Innovation Center and KCSourceLink.
“Artist INC has spent the past 10 years testing its market, refining its products, and proving its sustainability and vital importance to local and regional artists,” Meyers said in a release. “Now, with the M-AAA, it enters a new era and a renewed promise of big market opportunities for artists nationwide.”
Originally launched in 2017 as KCArtistLink, Artist INC connects artists with resources, tools and educational opportunities to develop entrepreneurial thinking skills.
In 2013, the UMKC Innovation Center partnered with the Mid-America Arts Alliance to expand the reach of Artist INC in communities throughout the Midwest. The program is now available in such cities as Lawrence, Omaha, Tulsa, Austin, Houston, Springdale, Arkansas and others.
Carmen DeHart, director of outreach programs at UMKC Innovation Center, said that the center is proud of Artist INC for its momentum and growth.
“It’s made a real difference, helping our artists build sustainable and rewarding careers—and even businesses,” DeHart said in a release. “The opportunity to bring that proven program to a national platform can change the game for so many of our creators, makers and performers and help them not just live for their art, but to truly turn their art into a living.”
In addition to the UMKC Innovation Center, the program has received support from ArtsKC, the Charlotte Street Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Hallmark Cards, the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts and others.
Programs in the UMKC Innovation Center include Whiteboard2Boardroom, Digital Sandbox KC, ScaleUP! Kansas City and the UMKC Small Business and Technology Development Center.
Here is more information on the available Artist INC programs:
Artist INC Live — an eight-week seminar focused on the professional development of emerging and mid-career artists
Artist INC Advance — for graduates of Artist INC Live, artists and peers work together to expand on their entrepreneurial skills and apply them to specific projects or pursuits
Artist INC Express — a two-day intensive workshop aimed to address the specific business challenges artists face
What Works — 120-minute workshops sharing the successful traits of artist entrepreneurs.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Heart-shaped goalllll: How city’s favorite parade of art, culture creates 150 openings for KC in 2026
Parade of Hearts scores new sculpture design as campaign looks down the pitch to World Cup potential A newly revealed sculpture design for the 2026 Parade of Hearts campaign is more than just the fiberglass from which it takes shape, Carmen Zuniga told a crowd gathered for a sneak peek at the prototype for the…
URL to IRL insights: KC analytics startup downloads $1.2M pre-seed round powered by coalition of VCs
The region’s investment community is rallying around an Overland Park tech startup that unlocks insights from videos online and beyond — and its trio of Kansas City founders is grateful to see local talent earning capital that more easily flows to coastal innovators. A $1.2 million pre-seed for dScribe AI is expected to fuel growth…
How KD Academy is redefining childcare as a pillar of KC’s economic growth
Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. In the heart of Kansas City, a state-of-the-art facility — embodying innovation in early childhood education and economic development — works day-in and day-out to meet the demands…
Switchyards opening ‘work club’ in historic East Crossroads space: ‘It’s an absolute stunner’
Think dive bar with deep focus, said Brandon Hinman, describing the “neighborhood work club” concept that Atlanta-based Switchyards is bringing to the East Crossroads this spring. It’s a third-space workplace with no hot desks, standalone offices, or tiered memberships. “We actually have been more inspired by working out of coffee shops, libraries, boutique hotel lobbies,”…