CURRICULUM DETAILS:
Artist Trust developed a curriculum that includes training in the following areas:

THE PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO - Successfully present your artwork

• Important parts of a portfolio and what arts professionals look for
• The most common portfolio pitfalls
• Successful portfolio package from a physical and graphic design perspective
• Presenting yourself on paper, including essential components of a cover letter, artist statement, and resume
• Documenting and presenting your artwork

BUSINESS CONCERNS for ARTISTS - Organize the business side of your art practice.

• Business structures and planning
• Business licenses & insurance
• Financial management, including bookkeeping and long-term financial stability
• Understanding legal issues, including intellectual property, copyright, and VARA (Visual Artists Rights Act)
• Common contracts used by artists
• Pricing your artwork

FUNDING, EXHIBITION, and OTHER OPPORTUNITIES - Learn about different opportunities and how to research, select, and take advantage of them.

• Various opportunities available to artists and how to research, select, and take advantage of them
• Prepare a successful application or proposal
• Alternative funding, exhibition, and other opportunities

COMMUNICATION and MARKETING of ARTISTS and THEIR WORK - Enhance the effectiveness of your communication with existing and potential audiences, peers and markets.

• Identify key art audiences and art market venues, and determine marketing directions for your work
• Define networking opportunities available to you, and identify appropriate methods of contact and follow through

Additional sessions are incorporated into the EDGE Program that focus on goal-setting and peer networking among the participants.

2008 PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
The 2008 EDGE Program will be offered in 2 cycles. 15 artists participate in each cycle. Each cycle consists of 50 hours of training.

Cycle A :: June 6- July 25, 2008 :: Seattle

Friday 6/06/08 5:00 – 9:30pm
Saturday 6/07/08 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday 6/14/08 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday 6/21/08 9:00am – 5:30pm
Saturday 6/28/08 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday 7/12/08 9:00am – 4:30pm
Saturday 7/19/08 9:00am - 4:30pm
Friday 7/25/08 5:00 – 9:30pm

Cycle B :: August 23-30, 2008 :: Port Townsend

One-week intensive at Centrum, located in Port Townsend.
Click here to learn more about EDGE at Centrum.

NOTE: Travel stipends are only available for Cycle A

INSTRUCTORS:

Professionals in the regional visual arts community will serve as lead instructors for each content area.

The EDGE Program not only introduces artists to the skills they need, but it also introduces them to professionals in the field who work with artists. Participants can expect these professionals to be teaching the program, guest speaking on a specific topic or opening their studio up for a site visit.

EDGE instructors include:

Claudia Bach, owner of AdvisArts Consulting and past Deputy Director of the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA. Claudia has taught Promotion & Marketing since EDGE's beginning and will teach it again in 2008.

Greg Bell, who currently works for 4Culture as the Curator and Collections Coordinator of the King County Public Art Collection and previously was the curator of Contemporary Art at Tacoma Art Museum. Greg taught Professional Portfolio in 2004 - 2007 and will teach it again in 2008.

Heather Joy Helbach-Olds is Artist Trust's Director of Programs and a practicing visual artist. Heather oversees all of Artist Trust's grant programs and has worked on the EDGE Program since its inception in 2003. Heather teaches Funding, Exhibition, and Other Opportunities.

Gloria Lamson is an experienced teacher in the arts and a successful installation artist based in Port Townsend. Gloria taught Funding, Exhibition, and Other Opportunities in 2007 and will teach it again in 2008.

Dan Mayer is General Manager/Development Director at Kirkland Performance Center and previously was the Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in New York. Dan taught Business Concerns in 2004 - 2007 and will teach it again in 2008.

Past guest speakers have included:
Catherine Person of the Catherine Person Gallery, Seattle; Eric Swangstu, Director and Curator of The Art Mine Gallery at the Inn at Port Hadlock; Joanna Sikes, Director of Special Projects at Dale Chihuly Studio, Seattle; Greg Kucera, owner of the Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle; Barbara Jirsa of A La CArt Consulting, Sammamish; and Wade Marlow of Blue Horse Gallery, Bellingham. 

TUITION, TUITION ASSISTANCE & TRAVEL STIPENDS:
The EDGE Program costs Artist Trust $500 per participant. Artist Trust requests that participants pay $250 (50% of the true cost). Artist Trust does, however, offer limited tuition assistance on an as-needed basis. We also offer limited travel stipends for artists who must travel over 45 miles to get to the Seattle cycles. Travel stipends are not available to artists participating in the other cycles. Artists participanting in the cycle at Centrum are required to pay an additional $150, to partially cover food and lodging costs. Artist Trust will accept tuition payment in two installments. Artist Trust strongly recommends that interested artists apply regardless of financial status.

SELECTION CRITERIA:
The following criteria will be used to determine participants for the 2007 EDGE program:

1. eligibility requirements are met by the applicant;
2. commitment of applicant to their career as an artist as expressed in their essay and résumé;
3. artistic quality and promise as represented in the work sample; and
4. appropriateness of EDGE curriculum to applicant's career goals as expressed in their essay.
   

Artist Trust will seek a diversity of participants representing different artistic styles, as well as geographic and cultural diversity. Evaluation of the applications and selection of artists to participate in EDGE will be performed by a Selection Panel. The Selection Panel is comprised of an EDGE graduate, an EDGE instructor, a regional arts professional, an Artist Trust Board member, and an Artist Trust staff member.