Drawing inspiration from the rapid growth of the tech industry, these founding leaders developed a new model for cultural philanthropy that adopted elements of the venture capital ethos, in particular the ways in which entrepreneurs in other sectors were being holistically supported. Bringing together financial project support with workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities, the transformative grantmaking model was designed to help artists become self-sufficient in the long-term and to achieve career success on their terms, however they define it.

To date, Creative Capital has awarded more than $50 million to individual artists since our founding more than 20 years ago. Creative Capital has also inspired countless other nonprofit organizations to support individual artists through a transformative grantmaking model that provides artist services along with funding.

Each year, Creative Capital receives more than 4,000 exciting project proposals from artists across the country through our national, open call application process. We also provide artist-led workshops and educational programs, which are available gratis to Creative Capital Awardees and for free or at low cost to all artists. Our professional development workshops and programs have served 30,000 artists and growing. Without an endowment, Creative Capital relies entirely on institutional grants and individual donations in order to administer our awards and services to the thousands of worthy artists who benefit from our work.

Read More

• How Ruby Lerner’s Vision Shaped Creative Capital’s Unique Model
• Financial Heart & Soul of Creative Capital: Leslie Singer on 20 Years
• Read more about 20 years of Creative Capital