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2008 Professional Development Fund for Emerging Leaders of Color
The deadline for applying has passed. Applications are closed.
Americans for the Arts has received support from the Joyce Foundation to re-grant Professional Development Funds to emerging arts leaders of color from the Great Lakes region. Grant dollars will be used to partially offset the costs for these selected emerging arts leaders to attend Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, DC (March 31–April 1, 2008), the Annual Convention in Philadelphia (June 20–22, 2008), and the National Arts Marketing Project (NAMP) Conference in Houston (November 9–12, 2008).
In order for our sector to remain healthy and vibrant, we need to ensure that we are identifying and retaining young professionals within our workforce. Based upon recommendations from the Emerging Leader Council, Americans for the Arts has been working to identify ways that emerging leaders can fully participate in national meetings and events for their own professional development and so they can connect with the broader community of arts professionals from across the country. Additionally, if the arts are to continue to thrive and remain relevant to the communities they serve, we need to actively cultivate, expand, and support talented, culturally diverse emerging leaders. Therefore, this Professional Development Fund has been designed to target a strategic segment of our workforce: emerging arts leaders of color. The funds are further restricted to young professionals from the Great Lakes region because of the Joyce Foundation’s funding reach.
- About the Professional Development Fund program
- Professional Development Fund
- Eligibility Requirements
- Selection Criteria
- Application Materials
- Additional Information and Resources
About the Professional Development Fund Program
Americans for the Arts will provide $2,500 in support to twelve young professionals of color to help offset out-of-pocket expenses associated with registering and traveling to three national convenings (Arts Advocacy Day, Annual Convention, and NAMP Conference). To further develop the professional skills and leadership potential of the selected recipients, this program is also designed to create a community of learners among the cohort. There will be quarterly conference calls between events to deepen the learning and strengthen the bonds among participants. If interested, recipients can also participate in a mentorship program as well as receive individualized career coaching. Throughout the program, participants will reflect and document their professional growth through post-conference reports, internal group discussions, and end of year program evaluations.
Professional Development Fund
This financial support will be issued in partial installments to participants after they attend each national convening. Recipients are required to attend all three events, conference calls, and to complete all evaluations and conference reports. The funds will not cover all expenses associated with these meetings but they will significantly decrease expenses. Descriptions about each national event and the estimated costs to attend are described in the document below.
Download: Americans for the Arts 2008 National Events and Estimated Costs (pdf, 30KB)
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be:
- An emerging leader (Americans for the Arts defines an emerging leader as someone who is under 35 or has less than 5 years experience).
- An person of color working in the arts field(s).
- Working within an arts organization located in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota).
- Able to attend all three national convenings and to participate in related conference calls.
Selection Criteria
Applications will be reviewed by a group of ethnically diverse arts professionals from across the country. The candidates and cohort will be selected on the following core criteria:
- Financial Need
- Clarity of Career Goals
- Potential
- Representation of the Field
Application Materials
The deadline has passed. Applications are closed. Thank you for your interest in this program and to the Joyce Foundation for their support.
Additional Information and Resources
Please contact Rebecca Borden, manager of professional development, for more information about the Emerging Leader Network of Americans for the Arts or about this unique Professional Development Fund for Emerging Leaders of Color at 202.371.2830.
Americans for the Arts is deeply grateful to the Joyce Foundation for their generous support of this program.
