American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center

Two-Day Artist as Entrepreneur Program for Visual Artists
at American University Museum, Washington DC 

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to resume its partnership with the American University Museum (AUM) to provide a free opportunity for visual artists in the Washington DC Metropolitan area, made possible through the support of the Stephen & Palmina Pace Foundation. Visual artists of all disciplines (painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, installation, ceramics, folk and traditional art, craft, printmaking, book arts, film/video, and digital art and new media) are invited to participate in the two-day-long Artist as Entrepreneur program, a professional development intensive. This program has been customized to fit the needs of AUM artist members as well as for Washington DC Metropolitan area artists.

The Artist As Entrepreneur Program offers the fundamental principles of sustainability – and ultimately profitability – in the arts. This includes topics such as strategic planning, fundraising, and marketing, with additional topics tailored to suit participants’ interests. Presented by NYFA staff and guest speakers in the capital region, the structure is a blend of in person and virtual lectures, one-on-one discussions and breakout groups. Additional material is drawn from NYFA’s popular textbook, which accompanies this curriculum, The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2011). Participants will work through a flexible and dynamic “action plan,” and other entrepreneurial tools to provide a blueprint for their artistic practice or specific projects. We invite you to register to connect with other artists as you build the business skills essential to supporting your creative career!

Title: Artist As Entrepreneur Program

Artist as Entrepreneur Participants at Katzen Art Center

Date: Saturday, December 3, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Sunday, December 4, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Alper Initiative for Washington Art, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
Cost: Free; Registration is Required. 
Format: This event will be held in person. Lecture content will be provided on a hybrid basis (both virtually and in person.)
Register: RSVP here 
Questions: email learning@nyfa.org

This program is part of NYFA Learning, which includes professional development for artists and arts administrators. Sign up for NYFA’s free bi-weekly newsletter here to receive updates on future programs.

This program is made possible through the support of the Stephen & Palmina Pace Foundation.

Meet the NYFA Staff & Presenters

Kelly Olshan, NYFA Learning Program Officer, Career Advice and Training
Kelly Olshan is an arts manager and visual artist passionate about providing fiscal and professional development resources for creative practitioners. At NYFA, she manages a host of programs for artists of all disciplines, including NYFA Coaching and Doctor’s Hours, as well as co-facilitates the Artist as Entrepreneur Program. She graduated Valedictorian from UNC Asheville, where she holds a BFA in Painting, and earned an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University.

Prior to joining NYFA, she served as the Program Manager for Queens Council on the Arts, where she oversaw the organization’s artist commissioning, portfolio and professional development programs, as well as authored the book How You Can Commission Art. Previously, she has held roles at Americans for the Arts, Art21, Artforum, and Creative Capital, and her research on professional development programs for artists has been published in the Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society. In 2019, she participated in NYFA Learning’s own Emerging Leaders program. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the DOT Public Art program and as a frequent panelist for NYC’s Percent for Art Program. As a practicing visual artist, her sculptural oil paintings invite the viewer to navigate towards an unattainable space, and have been exhibited nationally. She has given artist talks and guest lectures at School of Visual Arts (SVA), Rhode Island School of Art and Design (RISD), Art Students League, Columbia University, and Bronx Council on the Arts, among others. @kellyolshanfineart | www.kellyolshan.com

Peter Cobb, Senior Advisor, NYFA Learning 
Peter Cobb is a co-editor of "The Profitable Artist," and a strategic consultant with an extensive background in the worlds of art, organizational strategy and development, and law. He is currently a Tax Advisor with Brass Taxes, a company that focuses on assisting artists and freelancers with tax issues. Peter has worked with NYFA in a variety of capacities, specializing on programs related to entrepreneurship and fundraising. He has worked with numerous individual artists, nonprofits, and small businesses to develop fundraising and earned income strategies. He is also a jazz saxophonist who performs nationally and internationally.

Ju Hye Kim, NYFA Learning Program Associate
Born in Korea and raised in Hawaii, Ju Hye is a musician and arts administrator whose work is motivated by the values arts serve in communities of all backgrounds. She graduated from University of Richmond with a Bachelor’s degree in Leadership Studies and Politics, Philosophy, Economics and Law (PPEL) with a minor in Chinese. She grew up playing the violin which led her to develop a passion for supporting the arts through administrative and management work. She worked with the Education and Community Partnerships Department at Richmond Symphony to program events for youth and community. She supported the Menuhin Competition, an internationally renowned violin competition hosted by Richmond Symphony in Fall 2020 as an Assistant Project Manager. She also supported the launching of Richmond Symphony School of Music (RSSoM), an online music education platform to provide virtual classes and opportunities for the community to connect through music in the midst of Covid-19.