Sonoma County Emerging Artists Fund

Raising permanent funds for arts and helping local artists launch careers are two challenges faced by many communities. Both led to one solution in Sonoma County: an Emerging Artists Fund. It connects the power of endowment giving to the value of providing early support to artists. And it has real appeal for arts donors.

The fund was created by the Community Foundation Sonoma County in partnership with the Arts Council of Sonoma County.

An Emerging Artists Award was developed to bring visibility to this fund. In its first year, a panel of well-known local artists, gallery owners and curators reviewed the work of 78 artists. They narrowed the pool down to 25. A small team of respected curators from outside the area then chose three winners featured at a special awards event.

Event objective

Illustrate the benefits of, and great need for, an Emerging Artist Fund by introducing it in an inspired way.

Recipe for success

• Invite a diverse group of arts enthusiasts—both experienced and new to arts philanthropy—to a light dinner and refreshments
• Combine with emerging artists as well as leaders of local arts organizations
• Add a tour of the hosts’ sculpture-filled home, including a sneak-peek of public art prior to its debut
• Mix in intriguing speakers: Katharine DeShaw, Executive Director of United States Artists, to describe national arts funding streams; Ned Kahn, an internationally known local artist, to tell how an emerging artist grant changed his life; Steve Oliver, Board Chair of San Francisco MOMA, to share his personal commitment to supporting artists and the Emerging Artist Fund
• Award three new artists each with $5,000 to advance their work and community contributions
• Top off with stories of how relatively small levels of financial support have made a big difference in the careers of art creators

Results

New connections—between arts supporters, artists, and the fund that helps fulfill the greatest aspirations of all. And new resources—the community foundation is well on the way toward hitting its initial goal of gaining $300,000 in new community support for the Emerging Artists Fund.

This activity was conducted as part of Communities Advancing the Arts, a major funding initiative of The James Irvine Foundation.

Filed under: Engaging donors