The Kenneth Rainin Foundation is committed to ensuring that diverse, visionary artists thrive in the Bay Area. In the Arts Program, we understand that systemic barriers have made access to funding for artists inequitable and complicated, especially for Black, Indigenous and People of Color and the organizations they lead. We also know that some artists don’t feel like they have access to foundations.
We are launching a new series to address these issues directly by listening, engaging in meaningful dialogue and being more accessible and transparent, especially with artists who have historically been unacknowledged by or excluded from philanthropy.
We invite you to join us for Let’s Talk: What Artists Need To Thrive, a live series of Zoom conversations, kicking off on Thursday, December 8, at 12 PM PT. This series is hosted by and co-created with Bay Area artist Beatrice Thomas. Beatrice is a founder and director of Authentic Arts & Media, cultural strategist and creative producer. Let’s Talk: What Artists Need To Thrive continues our work to promote systems change and remove barriers for artists. We will apply what we learn in these sessions to improve our approaches to advance equity and support diverse, visionary Bay Area artists. The goals for this series are to:
- Address issues that matter most to artists
- Build connections with a wider community of artists
- Exchange information
- Create a more equitable arts ecosystem together
This first conversation on December 8 will serve as a pilot for the series, where we will co-create community agreements to ensure a safe and welcoming space for all attendees. We will gather topics artists would like to discuss at future sessions and introduce you to the Foundation’s Arts program. We will also make room for collective care and to reconnect with the joy in our work.
“‘Let’s Talk’ is our chance as artists to directly connect with a funder and shape the future of arts grantmaking. Whether you’ve never applied for a grant or have applied for dozens, we want your voice added to the chorus advocating for more equitable access to joy.”
Beatrice Thomas
Who Should Attend And Why?
Do you want to apply for an arts grant but aren’t sure where to start? Have you applied for arts funding in the past and want to know more about what happens behind the scenes? Are you interested in being part of a dynamic conversation about changing practices in philanthropy?
We welcome anyone who is interested in learning about arts funding, especially Black, Indigenous and People of Color artists and organizations to attend. We hope to foster communications with the Foundation’s Arts program team, artists and cultural workers in ways that support positive changes in arts funding.
Sessions will be accessible with ASL interpretation and live captioning. We hope to record these sessions and post them online so you can watch at a time that is convenient for you or share with colleagues and friends. Attendance at these sessions will not affect your access to future funding opportunities at the Rainin Foundation.
What Happens Next?
When you register, you will be prompted to submit topics you’d like to discuss or learn about in more detail. Don’t worry if you think of a topic later–you can share ideas during or after the first session in December. We’ll compile all the ideas from registration and the virtual event, along with your feedback to shape additional sessions in early 2023.
We can’t wait to be in conversation with you! Questions? You can email the Arts Team here.
