Leaving Governor’s Island was difficult this past Sunday as we we wrapped up this year’s session of Artists Summer Institute. Artists Summer Institute is a five-day intensive professional development opportunity for artists created and developed in partnership between Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) and Creative Capital.
ASI provides a unique opportunity for artists for to retreat from their daily routines to focus on developing their professional skills and artistic goals. The program combines the best of LMCC’s Basic Finance for Artists and Creative Capital’s Professional Development Program (PDP) to provide a comprehensive range of training, tools, and resources for working artists. The curriculum offers arts-focused professional training in the areas of strategic planning, verbal communications, marketing and promotion, Internet optimization, financial management, and business planning.
ASI was an island away from our day-to-day lives.
ASI Artist Laetitia Soulier called the Creative Capital Strategic Planning Workbook and Artist’s Tools Handbook “beautiful gifts”.
On Financials day, the ASI Artists shared their monetary hopes and fears.
Creative Capital Consultant and PDP Leader Brian Tate leading a strategic marketing exercise.
The ASI schedule was tight but the artists found time to hang out during quick lunch breaks.
Raja Feather Kelly, Puela Lunaris and Jeremy Pickard role-playing during the ASI mock cocktail party.
Creative Capital’s Alyson Pou leads a breakout group at ASI.
ASI is well summed up by PDP Director Alyson Pou’s parting words to the 2015 cohort: “We deserve to have a quality of life while pursuing being artists.” The generous spirit and raw talent of this year’s group of artists is awe-inspiring. We’re already counting the days until the reunion.