You know how to make great art, but funding it is a different story. You’re tired of trying to build a fundraising plan, write grants, and land donors. And you’re tired of trying to figure it out by yourself. If you constantly feel like you lack the knowledge, time, structure, and accountability to fundraise for your arts organization, isn’t it time to figure out a better way?

smART Lab is a six-month fundraising and leadership lab for artists who want to make money to make art. It’s a cohort of artistic directors, executive directors, founders, and artists who meet twice a month to learn fundraising, leadership, management, and more. It’s a complete support system for artists…and the stuff they don’t teach you in arts school.

smART Lab isn’t another webinar or training: it’s a professionally facilitated group that helps you learn the ins and outs of fundraising so your organization’s finances and management shine as brightly as your art.

Each six-month virtual leadership lab brings artists together to set goals, share challenges, and ultimately, become stronger leaders in the arts community. smART Lab cohorts are facilitated by our coaches who are artists and fundraisers in their own right, and the cohorts are limited in size to 6-12 people so there is plenty of individual attention.

smArt Lab is a partnership between Austin Creative Alliance and Giant Squid Group.

This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.