For Immediate Release
January 31, 2007

Contact: Heather Joy Helbach-Olds, Director of Programs
heatherjoy@artisttrust.org, 206/467-8734 x10; toll free 1/866/218-7878

ARTIST TRUST ANNOUNCES 2007
EDGE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ARTISTS

:: :: ::

Application Deadline: March 30, 2007

Artists who reside in Washington State are encouraged to apply to participate in the 2007 EDGE Professional Development Training Program.

The EDGE Program provides artists with a comprehensive survey of professional practices through a hands-on, interactive curriculum that includes instruction by professionals in the field as well as specialized presentations, panel discussions, and assignments. The EDGE Program focuses on providing artists with the relevant and necessary entrepreneurial skills to achieve their personal career goals, as well as to develop peer support and exchange among the participating artists.

The EDGE Program is open to emerging or mid-career visual artists, except for the April mini-EDGE which welcomes artists of all disciplines. Applicants must be residents of Washington State but cannot be graduate or undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program. Applicants must commit to completing the entire program.

Several cycles of EDGE will be offered in 2007. Artists can choose to participate in one of the following cycles:

Leavenworth: 3-day mini-EDGE, April 23-25
Open to artists of all disciplines. Part of the 2007 Washington Cultural Congress. Fee varies, includes food and lodging at Sleeping Lady; for course description and information on scholarships (applications due mid-February) go to www.wsartsalliance.com/congress.htm.

Tacoma*: Full 50-hour Program, May-June, $150
Meets on 2 Fridays and 6 Saturdays. Exclusively for Pierce County visual artists.

Seattle: Full 50-hour Program, June-July, $250
Meets on 2 Fridays and 6 Saturdays. Open to visual artists.

Port Townsend: Week-long Intensive, September, $400
Open to visual artists. Fee includes food and lodging at Centrum at Fort Worden State Park.

Seattle: Full 50-hour Program, Oct.-Nov., $250
Meets on 2 Fridays and 6 Saturdays. Open to visual artists.

Bellingham**: Full 50-hour Program, Oct.-Nov., $150
Meets on 2 Fridays and 6 Saturdays. Exclusively for Bellingham visual artists.

* Generous support has been provided in part by the City of Tacoma, Tacoma Art Museum and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation.
** Generous support has been provided in part by the City of Bellingham Arts Commission.

Limited financial assistance and travel stipends are available for some cycles.

EDGE Applications and Guidelines are available on the Artist Trust website (www.artisttrust.org/services/edge), by sending a self-addressed, stamped, business-sized envelope to: EDGE Application, Artist Trust, 1835 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122-2437, or at our office.

Completed applications may be mailed to the address above or may be hand-delivered to Artist Trust at 1835 12th Avenue and East Denny Way in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle by 5:00pm on March 30, 2007. Mailed applications must have a US Postal Service postmark dated on or before March 30, 2007.

Artist Trust is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to support and encourage individual artists working in all disciplines in order to enrich community life throughout Washington State.