AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

SPACE FOR CHANGE: New LINC Program Recognizes Innovation in
Development of Affordable Artist Spaces with Two Funding Opportunities

http://www.lincnet.net/artist-space

Through a funding collaboration between the MetLife Foundation and Ford Foundation, Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) announces Space for Change: Building Communities Through Innovative Art Spaces.

The Space for Change program seeks to highlight the production of artist spaces in an emerging framework of cultural equity, where artists are key stakeholders and contributors in community building and revitalization. This program kicks off with the MetLife Innovative Space Awards (ISA), an awards program that recognizes and promotes successful artist spaces that exhibit innovation, affordability, sustainability and positive community impact. Winning projects will demonstrate the role that affordable artist spaces play in community revitalization and socially progressive development, as well as replicable and sustainable models for artist space development. In November 2009, up to five winning projects will receive awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.

A second component of the program, the Ford Foundation Space for Change Predevelopment Grants, will award grants to new projects in the early stages of planning that demonstrate the same commitment to creating affordable artist spaces. Guidelines for these grants will be made available in spring 2010.

The pursuit of artistic practices and the presentation of creative work often require unique spaces, and despite increasing public awareness of these needs, access to affordable spaces remains a key challenge for many artists. The urgency of this issue has galvanized leaders in arts and culture, planning, and community development fields to recognize the impact of artist space development projects on communities. Research points to positive physical, social, and economic impacts, including increased employment opportunities and improved youth development and arts programs for residents.

LINC's primary resource in advancing the knowledge built through this program will be the newly re-designed Artists Space Database accessed via LINC's website, www.lincnet.net. Best practices, research, project and community data, shared lessons, and other information on nominated and winning projects will be housed online to create a national database of artist spaces. The increased visibility of projects achieved through use of the Database will promote cross-sector collaborations among artists, developers, local municipalities, public agencies, artist-focused organizations, community development corporations, and others.

To learn more about Space for Change, read the ISA guidelines, and submit an application, visit www.lincnet.net/artist-space . Applications can be submitted online until August 24, 2009, no later than 5 P.M. (EDT). For more information contact LINC at info@lincnet.net , or 646-731-3275. If you would like to download a PDF version of the guidelines and application, click here.

LINC is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to enhance the capacity of artists to create work, build social capital, and contribute to democratic values.

from LA Culture Net.