Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President Seth W. Pinsky and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin announced five initiatives to support the 1,400 nonprofit cultural groups, 40,000 employees, and countless artists that comprise New York City’s cultural sector. As part of the initiatives, the City will provide space for art exhibitions, specialized job training, and financial guidance to cultural institutions and artists.
New York City’s nonprofit cultural groups generate more than $5.8 billion in economic impact through direct spending, attesting to New York City’s continued role as a global capital for culture. The programs build on a set of initiatives Mayor Bloomberg announced in April to help all of New York City’s nonprofit organizations survive the economic downturn.
The five new initiatives are:
- Curate New York City: The Curate New York City program will offer visual artists a new opportunity to display their work for free across a portfolio of City-owned properties managed by NYCEDC. Exhibits will run for up to one month and rotate through the 12-to-18-month duration of the program that is expected to begin in 2010. Potential properties include: the Essex Street Market Building, the Brooklyn Army Terminal lobbies and atrium, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Richmond County Bank Ballpark restaurant space. NYCEDC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) and in cooperation with the Department of Cultural Affairs will identify a lead organization to oversee the solicitation and selection of artists to participate in the program.
- New York City Performs: In an effort to increase the availability of affordable performance space and simplify the permitting process, NYCEDC and the City’s Department of Parks & Recreation will provide organizations with publicly accessible outdoor space free of charge at locations throughout the City. NYCEDC released an RFP to identify a lead arts organization to oversee the solicitation and selection of artists to participate in the program. Selected shows will run through spring and summer 2010.
- JumpStart for the Arts: The City continues to develop strategies to retain and retrain talented workers affected by the challenging economic climate. Similar to JumpStart New Media launched in July, the City will initiate Jumpstart for the Arts, a training program for up to 50 displaced entrepreneurial junior to mid-level professionals to apply their skill sets to the nonprofit arts and cultural sector. The program will provide organizations within the sector a pre-screened pool of qualified candidates for placement. JumpStart for the Arts will comprise a five-day intensive boot camp focusing on basic skills that appeal to nonprofit cultural organizations. Participants will have opportunities to interact with leaders in the arts/culture sector through guest lectures and networking events. NYCEDC will select a partner organization to help design and oversee the program, which will launch later this year.
- Artists as Entrepreneurs: Today’s competitive art market increasingly demands artists to be equipped with entrepreneurial skills that extend beyond their craft. To address these needs, the City will administer a pilot program to provide artists and creative professionals with the skills to reach target markets, set financial goals, build effective teams, and develop viable business plans. Upon selection of an organization to oversee the program, Artists as Entrepreneurs will hold a five-day training program to assist artists in determining the viability of their business plan and outline the steps necessary to implement the plan. Upon completion of the program, participants will have access to low-cost studio space at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, operated by Chashama, an organization created to find ways to connect artists with vacant real estate at subsidized rates. NYCEDC issued an RFP for a third-party organization to develop and implement the pilot training program.
- Arts Clusters Promotion Program: In addition to the world renowned art and cultural institutions of Manhattan, many clusters of artists and cultural organizations exist in the neighborhoods and communities throughout the five boroughs. To increase awareness and promote visitation of these art consortiums, NYCEDC released an RFP to identify two local art clusters to receive grants of $25,000 each, an amount that will be matched by a group of arts organizations and businesses as representatives of the clusters. The clusters and their representatives will be tasked with the development and implementation of a strategic marketing program and incentives packages designed to draw local and citywide audiences into their communities.