Creative Capital was founded in 1999 to support artists pursuing adventurous and imaginative ideas, drawing on venture capital concepts to provide funding, counsel and career development services. It is the only national grantmaking and artist service organization for individual artists with an open application process, supporting projects in five disciplines: Emerging Fields, Film/Video, Innovative Literature, Performing and Visual Arts.

Working in long-term partnerships with artists, Creative Capital’s support system is built on the core principle that time and advisory services are as crucial to artistic success as funding. Throughout the trajectory of a funded project, Creative Capital provides each artist with a flexible program of multi-faceted, sequential support, and partners with them to determine how funding and services can best work in concert to progress toward their goals.

Creative Capital’s unique approach to support, which surrounds artists’ good ideas with valuable resources and opportunities, ensures that they leave Creative Capital stronger than when they began. This pioneering system focuses on four key areas: (1) supporting the project over time through money, meetings and counsel; (2) supporting the person beyond the project by building internal infrastructure and capacity; (3) strengthening the community of artists by facilitating relationships and fostering creative dialogue; and (4) engaging the public by providing information about funded projects to as wide an audience as possible.

In 2003, Creative Capital launched its Professional Development Program to share with a broader community of artists the tools and strategies for improved self-sufficiency that were initially developed for grantees. This acclaimed program—developed by artists for artists—includes a diverse menu of workshops that helps artists to plan, promote and manage their careers to build toward long-term sustainability. With instruction in strategic planning, public relations and marketing, fundraising, and effective use of the Internet, the program provides artists with the vital business tools to manage their practice so that creativity can flourish and has reached more than 3,500 artists across the country.

2010 marks the launch of Creative Capital’s second decade, with more than $20 million committed in financial and advisory support to 325 projects, representing 406 artists, to date. Supported projects represent an astonishing range of ideas and formats and are regularly seen on screens and stages, in galleries and bookstores, from MoMA to Sundance. Our support helps artists realize their boldly original visions and build sustainable practices in a challenging environment.