Workshop Series

Professional Development Workshops 2013

Fundraising Fundamentals: Uptown Edition

LMCC’s core fundraising series moves to Harlem this summer! Designed to help artists develop knowledge and skills in raising the resources to support their practice, the series features five free workshops on Wednesday evenings from June 5 through July 3, and a follow-up session of one-on-one grantwriting consultations on July 31 for participants who attend three or more workshops. Covered topics include: the funding ecosystem, grantwriting, budgeting, work sample dos and don'ts, and cultivating individual donors.

The series is free, but space is limited and registration is required for each workshop on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration opens Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 12PM.

Participants who attend three or more workshops in the series will be invited to register for a follow-up consultation session on July 31 to receive direct feedback on a proposal in process. See “About the Grantwriting Consultations” for details.

Dates & Locations

The Funding Ecosystem: What You Should Know Before You Start Fundraising
Wednesday, June 5, 6:30-8PM
Hosted by Community Board 9
Fortune Society, 630 Riverside Drive
This workshop is at capacity.

Budgeting 101
Wednesday, June 12, 6:30-8PM
Hosted by Community Board 9
Fortune Society, 630 Riverside Drive
This workshop is at capacity.

Work Sample Dos and Don’ts
Wednesday, June 19, 6:30-8:30PM
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue
Note: this is a two-hour workshop
This workshop is at capacity.

Grantwriting Basics for Artists
Wednesday, June 26, 6:30-8PM
Hosted by Community Board 9
Fortune Society, 630 Riverside Drive
This workshop is at capacity.

Building and Cultivating Relationships with Individual Donors
Wednesday, July 3, 6:30-8PM
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue
This workshop is at capacity.

One-on-One Grantwriting Consultations
Wednesday, July 31, 6:30-8:30PM
LMCC's Studios at One Liberty Plaza, 12th Floor
Offered to participants who attend three or more workshops in the series

The series is free, but space is limited.
Registration is required for each workshop on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Registration opens Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 12PM.

Details about workshop locations coming soon. To keep up to date of all LMCC opportunities and events, including upcoming workshops and other professional development opportunities for artists, please sign up for This Month, our monthly email newsletter.


About the Workshops

The Funding Ecosystem: What You Should Know Before You Start Fundraising | Led by Kay Takeda, Director, Grants & Services, LMCC

This workshop reviews basic information that artists need as they begin to research and apply for grants. The session will provide an overview of arts funding sources, frequently used terms in fundraising, what happens once your application is submitted, and processes to follow and understand from the initial inquiry through receipt of a grant. The goal of this session is to prepare artists to better navigate the range of funding resources available to the field.

Register here.

Budgeting 101 | Led by Haowen Wang, Program Manager, LMCC

A budget is a planning and communication tool. Yet for many artists, the process of building a budget is unfamiliar, and can seem complicated or confusing. In this workshop, participants will learn how to construct a line item budget that represents anticipated expenses and income for a sample artistic project. The session will also include a review of basic budgeting terms and concepts, and address the importance of balancing and reconciling actual costs to your budget.

Register here.

Work Samples Dos and Don’ts | Led by Kay Takeda, Director, and Prachi Patankar, Program Manager, Grants & Services, LMCC

In order to access funding, residencies and other professional opportunities, artists are often required to submit work samples for consideration. Who reviews work samples? How are they reviewed? How important is formatting? Context? Our interactive workshop will cover these issues and provide a series of examples from a range of artistic disciplines that will ask participants to consider what makes a work sample compelling and why.

Register here.

Grantwriting Basics for Artists | Led by Maria Michails, Artist

Artists face significant challenges in fundraising for projects or opportunities to support their artistic development. One of these challenges is writing clear and effective grant proposals. This session will cover the common components of most grant proposals, providing tips, exercises, and examples to help make future proposals more effective. Artist Maria Michails will draw on her years of experience in fundraising, sharing examples of an artist bio and statement, project description, budget, and her approach to organizing and maintaining this integral part of her practice.

Maria Michails is a New Media artist with over 16 years of successful grantwriting experience. She has received grants and fellowships from the Canada Arts Council, Quebec Arts Council, Arizona State University, New York State Artists Workspace Consortium, Eyebeam Art + Technology Center, Sculpture Space, and was the 2012-2013 Stephen L. Barstow Artist-in-Residence at Central Michigan University. Her work has been exhibited in the US, Canada, France and Greece. She speaks on international panels about art and ecology, lectures, gives workshops, and teaches at the college level. She earned an MFA from Arizona State University and a BFA from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Register here.

Building and Cultivating Relationships with Individual Donors | Led by Dara Silverman, Fundraising Consultant

Good fundraising is all about cultivating relationships to build deep connections. In the current economic climate where government and foundation support are growing increasingly competitive, fundraising from individuals is more important than ever. At the same time artists and organizations are interested in ways to more fully engage their audiences and supporters. This session is designed to help participants learn how to strengthen and grow the base of relationships for themselves, their arts organization, or art project - today and for years to come. We will cover topics on the development cycle, how individual artists fundraise, tracking current and prospective donors, making an individual donor plan and practicing the ask.

Dara Silverman is a consultant, organizer and trainer who has worked to build movements for economic, racial and gender justice over the past 20 years. She was the Executive Director of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) from 2004-2009. Dara has extensive experience developing and planning campaigns, grassroots and individual donor fundraising, strategic planning, and board development. She is a trainer for the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT), and countless individual activists and artists.

Register here.

About the Grantwriting Consultations

Available to participants who attend three or more workshops in this series, this follow-up session will match each eligible participant with a knowledgeable professional for a 20-minute consultation to review a grant proposal currently in development. Participants will be asked to submit the in-progress grant proposal prior to the consultation to allow time for a thorough review. A round table for open discussion with LMCC staff will also be available throughout the evening.

LMCC will contact eligible participants by Wednesday, July 10 to confirm registration for this session.

Participating experts include:
Shannon Brunette, Director of Education, HAI
Kemi Ilesanmi, Executive Director, The Laundromat Project
Sara Juli, Founder/Director, Surala Consulting
Morgan von Prelle Pecelli, Senior Director, Institutional Advancement, LMCC

Shannon Brunette has lived and worked in Brooklyn, NY since 1998. She received her MFA at the School of Visual Arts in 2006. Currently, she is exploring a body of work relating to cultural exchange opportunities, from Alaska video artist-in-residence focusing on climate change to a 5-week international fellowship in exchange with traditional craftspeople of Orissa, India. Recently, a Jerome Foundation fellow-in-residence at the Anderson Center, this focused creative period allowed for the creation of a new film entitled, The Blue of Distance. Beyond her own film/video work she was the Senior Program Manager of Lambent Foundation, from 2007 to 2013, which focuses on innovative grantmaking and programs that explore art, culture and justice. She is currently the Director of Education, focusing on youth leadership through the arts at HAI - Hospital Audience, Inc., which in the spring of 2013 moved to a new office, gallery and rehearsal space in Long Island City.

Kemi Ilesanmi is the Executive Director of The Laundromat Project. With over 14 years experience in the cultural arena, she is inspired by the immense possibilities for joy and justice at the intersection of arts, activism and community. Prior to joining The LP, she was Director of Grants and Services at Creative Capital Foundation where she supported the work of American artists making adventurous new work. From 1998-2004, she was a visual arts curator at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. While there, she organized several exhibitions, including The Squared Circle: Boxing in Contemporary Art, and ran the visual arts residency program. She is holds a Masters in Public Administration from New York University and a BA in Afro-American Studies from Smith College. She is also an alumna of the Coro Leadership New York and Arts Leadership Institute programs.

Sara Juli is the Founder/Director of Surala Consulting, a NYC-based fundraising consultancy specializing in strategic fundraising solutions. She is fortunate to work with individual artists, and small to mid-sized non-profit organizations with a base of over 30 clients in the Performing Arts sector. Her company offers comprehensive services and training in Individual and Institutional Giving, Board Development, and annual strategic planning. Prior to starting her own company, Sara was the Director of Development at Dance Theater Workshop in New York City where she was responsible for coordinating all aspects of their major gifts program. Prior to Dance Theater Workshop, she worked as a grant writer for American Dance Festival and General Manager for Dixon Place. She has also been creating and performing innovative solo work in New York City for the past twelve years and has toured her work in New York City, nationally and internationally to Holland, Australia, New Zealand, London, and Russia. She holds a B.A. in Dance and Anthropology from Skidmore College.

Morgan von Prelle Pecelli, PhD is has been working in New York City’s contemporary performance sector since 1999. She is currently the Senior Director of Institutional Advancement for LMCC. Before joining LMCC, she served as Director of Development for Performance Space 122. She also served as Co-curator (10 & 09) and Dramaturg (08) for the Prelude Festival. She was Artistic and Development Director for Emerging Artists at 3LD Art & Technology Center from 2007 - 2008. She is on the Board of Directors of the Ontological-Hysteric Theater where she was the Managing and Programming Director from 2004 – 2006. In 2005, she started the Ontological-Hysteric Incubator, through which she curated and produced festivals and residencies in 2005 and 2006. From 2002 -2009, she also operated as The Lost Notebook, an entity dedicated to advocating on behalf of and supporting artists working in the contemporary sector.

Past Workshops

Marketing and Communications for Artists

Marketing and Communications for Artists was a three-part series of workshops that offered practical knowledge for artists and small arts organizations who wish to develop improved communication strategies and expand and deepen their relationship to audiences. Covered topics included: effective website strategies, social media, and press and media relations.

About the Workshops:

Your Website is Your Friend: Best Practices for Artists’ Web Presence
Led by Sydney Skybetter, Consultant, Edwards & Skybetter | Change Agency Wednesday, March 20, 6:30-8PM

Beginning with an overview of the role of websites in today’s volatile online climate, this workshop will provide artists with the knowledge to make empowered decisions about creating, administering, and migrating their websites. Special topics to be discussed include an explication on the difference between open source and closed source web development, vendor lock-in, and case studies on creating effective online presence.

Promote Yourself! An Introduction to Public Relations & Marketing for Artists
Led by Heidi Riegler, Founder & Principal, RIEGLER MEDIA | MARKETING Monday, March 25, 6:30-8PM

Understanding public relations is an essential part of a successful communications campaign that will garner press coverage and visibility — for your art project and for yourself. The workshop draws on the perspectives of media specialists, including journalists and critics. Key aspects of media relations and the dos and don'ts of working with media will be discussed, with examples drawn from projects in a range of artistic disciplines. We will also address inexpensive ways to market yourself, using online advertising, social media and e-communications.

Boost Your Social Media Presence
Led by Daniel Gallant, Executive Director, Nuyorican Poets Cafe Wednesday, April 3, 6:30-8PM

Social media allows artists and arts organizations unparalleled opportunities to grow their audience base, media exposure, and earned revenue. The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is one organization that has used an expanding social media strategy to grow from a small volunteer-led venue to a thriving arts center with partnerships across the city. The workshop will draw on their experience to share practical techniques and long-term strategies that can help boost your social media presence and expand the reach and impact of your brand, while minimizing PR and marketing expenses.

The case study and examples provided in this workshop are most applicable to arts organizations, but core concepts and strategies are relevant to all.

About the Instructors:

Daniel Gallant is a theatrical producer, playwright, director, and actor. He is also the current executive director of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. He previously served as the Director of Theater and Talk Programming at the 92nd Street Y's Makor Center and at 92YTribeca, and as an independent producer and event promoter. Daniel has been featured in periodicals and blogs including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Time Out New York, and Crain's New York. He has also been featured on MTV, NBC, NY1 and other networks. Daniel has led social media seminars and workshops for the Kennedy Center, BAM, Foundry Theater, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and other organizations. He was chosen from among 6,000 recipients of Google grants to discuss the Nuyorican Poets Cafe's online strategy with a group of 300 small businesses as part of a joint venture between Google and Chase. He has produced plays, concerts and musicals at venues including the off-Broadway DR2 Theatre, Central Park's Summerstage, Joe's Pub, Dixon Place, Center Stage, Theater for the New City, Abingdon Theatre, Brooklyn Museum, Galapagos, the Cornelia Street Cafe, the 13th Street Rep, Bowery Poetry Club, and the Henry Street Settlement.

Heidi Riegler is the founder and owner of RIEGLER MEDIA | MARKETING, a boutique PR agency that provides services in marketing, public and media relations, and event planning, specializing in the performing and visual arts. Her agency has a proven track record delivering highly successful communications campaigns, serving cultural organizations and individual artists. As a consultant, she has worked with organizations including Symphony Space, LMCC, FIAF, Harlem Stage, American Place Theater, Brooklyn Information and Culture, Riverside Theater, Midori & Friends and the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts as well as a range of individual artists, including Richard Maxwell, Grisha Coleman, Debra Wanner, Brenda Ray, Nami Yamamoto, Iris Klein, and Daniel Alexander Jones. She worked at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Museum of Arts and Design, The American Federation of Arts, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Performance Space 122 and is currently Director of Marketing and Communications at the National Academy.

Sydney Skybetter is a technologist, choreographer, and consultant with the Edwards & Skybetter | Change Agency. His expertise in emerging technologies and futurism has resulted in engagements at a wide spectrum of companies including The National Ballet of Canada, Ballet Hispanico, Larry Keigwin + Company, Sterling Publishing / Barnes & Noble Inc. and many startups. Skybetter has held speaking engagements for numerous organizations including Dance/USA, Dance/NYC, Opera America, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Dance New Amsterdam, among others. Skybetter has written about performance history and technology for the Ballet Review and The Huffington Post. He is a Producer with the Dance [NOW] NYC Festival, and the Founding Chairman of the Technology Committee for the Board of Trustees of Dance/USA. He received his Masters Degree from New York University, and his choreography has been presented at The Joyce Theater, Jacob’s Pillow, and The Kennedy Center, among many other venues.