Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Springboard for the Arts Wins Prestigious Social Entrepreneur’s Cup
June 22, 2010 (Saint Paul, MN) Springboard for the Arts recently took home the top prize at The Social Entrepreneur’s Cup, an award that seeks out, celebrates, and promotes Minnesota’s most innovative and effective social entrepreneurs and their solutions to society’s most pressing social problems. Springboard’s Artists Access to Healthcare program and partnership with Dr. Sam Willis’ clinic was the focus of the award.
Springboard for the Arts was one of four finalists out of 54 applicants who were asked to compete as part of the 2010 Engaged Philanthropy Conference hosted by Social Venture Partners Minnesota. The Social Entrepreneur’s Cup is a program of Social Venture Partners, The Minneapolis Foundation, and the Minnesota Cup.
Each of the finalists (Springboard, Bright New Ideas, Acara Institute and Mind Body Solutions) made live presentations before the judges and 400 conference attendees, vying for cash grants and consulting assistance. Laura Zabel, Springboard’s Executive Director, told the story of the need of the artist community
for access to high quality health care (artists in Minnesota are twice as likely to lack health insurance as the rest of the population) and Springboard’s approach to providing simple, replicable programs with a focus on health care, not health insurance.
As winner of the competition, Springboard receives $20,000 as a general operating grant and 40 hours of consulting services from the experienced entrepreneurs and managers of Social Venture Partners. Springboard will also be given the opportunity to partake in the next Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, where volunteer web pros work pro bono to overhaul the websites of 12 nonprofit organizations in 24 hours.
“We are thrilled with this honor and recognition for our Artists Access to Healthcare program, “ said Laura Zabel, Springboard Executive Director, “I think it is particularly meaningful that the Social Entrepreneurs Cup honored an arts organization this year and I am proud to represent the way in which artists can engage in social change a
nd important community issues, like health care.”
A highlight of the event was Majora Carter's inspiring keynote address about her work to build a green economy and addressing environmental poverty.
Springboard now goes on to compete against five other for-profit Minnesota Cup division winners for the Minnesota Cup grand prize in September 2010. The grand prize includes an additional $20,000 in seed capital and advice from the state’s leaders in finance, accounting, legal and management support services.
Springboard will celebrate its award this Friday, June 25, with the BOUNCE Bash celebration, featuring live performances by hip-hop and spoken word artist Guante, musician Greg Herriges, poet and comedian Brian Beatty, veena player and vocalists Nirmala and Shruthi Rajesekar, as well as food and drinks and a visual art sale with work by Calpurnia Peach, Amber Jensen, Maren Kloppmann, Lacey Prpic Hedtke and Amy Rice from the Community Supported Art (CSA) program, a partnership with mnartists.org. More information and tickets can be found online at www.springboardforthearts.org or by calling 651-292-4381. Proceeds benefit Springboard for the Arts and its Artists’ Access to Healthcare (AAH) program, a creative solution to help artists get the health care they need.
Springboard for the Arts is an economic development organization for artists. Its mission is to cultivate a vibrant community by connecting artists with the skills, information and services they need to make a living and life. For more than 20 years, Springboard for the Arts has been providing affordable professional development services to artists and their organizations. Springboard's programs include one-on-one consulting, workshops, the Artist Loan Fund, Emergency Relief Fund, Artists' Access to Healthcare and online Job Book and Resource Guide. For more information on our services see our website at www.springboardforthearts.org
Friday, June 11, 2010
Springboard for the Arts is pleased to announce the winner of its first-ever Osgood Do-good Award for Transformational Community Leadership in the Arts: Theater Artist/Actor Bob Malos. The award, which will be given annually to an artist who has shown tremendous leadership helping other artists make a living and a life, will be presented at Springboard for the Arts' BOUNCE Bash at the McNally Smith College of Music Café in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Friday, June 25, 2010.
In 2001, Bob Malos approached Springboard for the Arts to create a program to give back to the arts community. Springboard for the Arts turned Mr. Malos' vision, personal research and a $10,000 endowment gift into the Emergency Relief Fund, a program that exists to meet the emergency needs of artists living in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. The Fund supplies as much as five hundred dollars to cover an unexpected expense due to loss from fire, theft, a health emergency, or other catastrophic, career-threatening event. Since the inception of the Emergency Relief Fund in August of 2001, Springboard for the Arts has allocated over 40,000 dollars in funds to help 114 artists expedite recovery and get back to work.
The Osgood Do-good Award honors the pioneering work of Chris Osgood, longtime Springboard for the Arts Program Director and passionate champion of artists everywhere. Mr. Osgood describes Bob as "the kind of creative "communitarian" that I aspire to be- He is devoted to the theater and his personal artwork, but also to the region's creative community and what we artists can do for each other. It is fitting and proper that Bob Malos- one of my personal heroes- would be the first recipient of Springboard s Osgood Do-good Award for transformational leadership in the arts. Bob has truly changed our community for the better, one artist at a time."
Over the years, such artists have expressed their gratitude for the Emergency Relief Fund:
"Springboard provided me with relief funds to help pay the medical bills associated with the broken wrist / surgery. For someone who relies on both of his hands to earn a living, the assistance of Springboard has been like a life preserver."
"Thank you for granting me this help during a very difficult time. My mind is more at ease now and that aids in my recovery, both mentally and physically."
On June 25 at the BOUNCE Bash, Springboard for the Arts will give Mr. Malos the public recognition he merits. In addition to an award presentation, the celebration features live performances by hip-hop and spoken word artist Guante, musician Greg Herriges, poet and comedian Brian Beatty, veena player and vocalists Nirmala and Shruthi Rajesekar, as well as food and drinks and a visual art sale with work by Calpurnia Peach, Amber Jensen, Maren Kloppmann, Lacey Prpic Hedtke and Amy Rice from the Community Supported Art (CSA) program, a partnership with mnartists.org. More information and tickets can be found online at http://www.springboardforthearts.org or by calling 651-292-4381. Proceeds benefit Springboard for the Arts and its Artists' Access to Healthcare (AAH) program, a creative solution to help artists get the healthcare they need.
Labels: bob malos, BOUNCE Bash, CSA, emergency relief fund
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
That winner happened to be Kristin Rafferty, a painter here in St. Paul. We all sat around a table here at Springboard HQ reading her answers aloud, and found them so thoughtful, touching and spirited we thought we’d repost them here for your enjoyment. As we noted in the original call, when we think about the past twenty years, there is no better way to commemorate the collective value of Springboard than to hear from artists themselves. So with that, here’s Kristin!
1.What is your connection to Springboard and how has it changed your life/work? (i.e. what's your Springboard story?)
Springboard is a lifesaver for artists! Not only have I received valuable business of art training, but Springboard helped me out at a time when no one else would. Springboard very generously gave me an Emergency Relief Fund grant and all that was asked was that I proved I am an artist. Not only that, but the help was provided within a couple of days. Springboard's generosity brought me to tears. You have no idea how much that meant to me at a time when everyone was saying “no” to me. Thank you! Someday, Springboard is FIRST on my list I will donate to (and animal rights groups!) And if I God forbid croaked, I would want people to donate to Springboard in my honor and if I won the Powerball, I'd give a big chunk to Springboard as they actually use their money to help artists instead of waste it on red tape.
2. What other events/people/resources/inspiration etc. have been invaluable to you as an artist?
Again, aside from their very generous help that brought me to tears from gratitude...the workshops on how to market myself and be a more successful artist. These skills unfortunately are not taught at most art schools.
3. Where is your current inspiration/drive coming from?
I suppose many things. My painting process is a very intuitive thing. I explain more about on my website which is www.kristinrafferty.com. As for photography, I am inspired by city life, the expressions and body language of everyday people, and so on. For videos and installations, I am very conceptual and sometimes political.
4. Finish this sentence: “I am an artist because…
…I have no choice! It's both a gift and a disease. It makes no sense to be an artist, but I can't stand not to do art. It's a madness. It drives me. It's what gets me up in the morning. It's the only thing that's helped me in my most depressing moments in life. Art never leaves me or lets me down. Art is as close to God as anything, other than maybe my beloved pets.
5. What's your favorite word (or what word do you think is awesome)?
“Wellstone.”
