Friends of Atlanta Black Theatre Festival Inc

Our solution is the expansion of the Creative Arts Conference (CAC) to an online virtual event. We aim to provide a virtual business development incubator targeted at emerging BIPOC creative arts entrepreneurs' unique needs. This incubator assists this targeted segment of start-up creatives with fiscal management, marketing, audience development, creative product development, information on access to capital and grant funding, establishing industry connections, mentoring, and the best practices for sustainability and ultimately scalability.

With technology, the CAC can offer an annual in-person conference and virtual year-round support for thousands of emerging independent creatives in the digital, visual, and performing arts arenas. Virtual support is currently provided via a formal mentorship program with industry professionals, online mini-courses in fiscal management, administrative support, access to legal advice, and product development specifically geared to creative artists.

The CAC aims to de-isolate this population and assist with establishing creative artists as a viable part of the creative business ecosystem, provide the resources needed for growth and sustainability, and encourage their development from solopreneurs to micro- or small business owners. 

While producing the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival in the past 10 years, we have provided a platform for over 145 screen/play writers and 3,000 independent artists to present original works to tens of thousands of patrons. We have discovered that most creative artists don't see themselves as business owners or entrepreneurs. One telling indicator is that when we disburse the proceeds, roughly 80% of checks are written to individuals and not registered. 

While business incubators have been in existence since the 1970s, in response to the decline in manufacturing employment and to encourage entrepreneurship, few have focused specifically on creative arts entrepreneurs. 

In a published article by CreativeInfrastructure.org, their research revealed that only 47 organizations identified themselves as business incubators that targeted the arts community. However, of that albeit small but growing segment, none are black-led. We understand the historical marginalization and the depth of sensitivity needed in developing artists of color while preserving the true artistic aesthetic as well as the challenges faced at the intersection of good business practices and creating art unique to BIPOC lived experiences.

Friends of Atlanta Black Theatre Festival was established in 2020 to develop a business incubator model to support BIPOC artists as entrepreneurs. The CAC is a part of the Festival that has primarily focused on developing new works. This experience revealed the critical need for expanded support. Therefore, we have begun developing courses, workshops, and panels in the areas of marketing, fiscal management, mentoring, audience development via technology, pricing, public relations, etc

We meet the Challenge directly with our core competencies. We provide:

1. Guidance/professional development by our leadership: Our internal staff, board members, and consultants consist of industry professionals with decades of expertise and education in non-profit management, community development banking, business development, legal and marketing in the arts, and general business practices. 
2. Support and foster growth by establishing quality product delivery standards: Our published criteria for submissions provide the rubric that sets the standard for what we will accept in certain categories. The "lower" categories provide opportunities for start-up artists seeking more guidance and mentoring. 
3. We provide growth and opportunities and visibility in the industry with recognition and awards that have led to funding, grants, residencies, Off Broadway premieres, and more bookings. Our business model is an innovative solution that helps manage costly production expenses by providing critically needed technical support and assistance. 
4. Continuous support and learning with access to legal referrals, casting assistance, online professional development courses, cross-country collaborations, employment, and mentoring. 

We're a Black-led organization and our target population is 98% African-American. We support our art and cultural community's needs by providing safe and strong community connections to learn, discover, present, and preserve the true history and contributions of BIPOCs to the arts and cultural landscape of our global civilization while building social, capital, and political economies in creative industries. 

Our institutional presence is a symbol of the importance of the preservation of our heritage and provides a social response to the historical depravity that has existed for centuries in the United States and abroad. Our impact is more than building business. We are building a community with strong and relevant engagement, a sense of belonging, and an awareness of our contribution to an American culture that has stigmatized, demonized, and marginalized our existence.

To quantify our impact, this is a sample of our project areas: 

1. We have provided opportunities for over 145 self-producing writers and "safe-space" performance opportunities for over 3000 artists. 
2. We collaborate with eight HBCUs to provide student internships and performance opportunities via the Dr. Doris Derby Collegiate Monologue Competition. This program is aimed to develop a formal pipeline to facilitate supportive relationships with students and industry practitioners. 
3. We offer online courses to assist with production resources before, during, and after the festival.
4. The ABTF Black-Expo Market and Art Gallery connect buyers to Black vendors that offer a unique selection of visual, fine, and wearable art.  
5. Our newly launched ABTF Travels provides opportunities for artists to build community beyond borders by traveling to Africa on curated expeditions that re-connect us authentically with our lost heritage and cultural roots. 34 artists participated in 2021. 37 artists have signed up to participate in 2022. 
6. We offer a podcast, a platform for building and connecting artists and writers with the community. 

Georgia

We exist to support and provide opportunities for start-up, emerging, and seasoned creative arts entrepreneurs. It's stated in our mission: 

Our mission is to support opportunities for creative arts entrepreneurs to develop, present and preserve, in an authentic voice, multi-disciplinary art for and about the pan-African experience.

Our vision is to develop programs that provide safe and strong community connections as we discover, present, and preserve the true history and contributions of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) people to the arts and cultural landscape of our global civilization.

 Please see the mission statement at https://atlantabtf.org/about-u...

Our theory of change is: If we can support and encourage the next generation of artists to develop a business mindset and high-quality art, we can use the power of arts to build a socially cohesive, economically viable, and politically responsive communities.  

Activities

Education: CAC offers workshops, panels and master classes offered online and in-person by art industry experts.

Company Incubation: Creative arts entrepreneurs receive access to ongoing referrals, mentors, and professional development coaching.

Knowledge Creation & Public Dissemination: All programs are open to the public via paid access or free registration online and in-person.

Outputs

Education: Participants increase competency and skill levels to take to their respective communities and deliver higher quality content.

Company Incubation: Participants have the confidence to operate and create products ready for market consumption.

Knowledge Creation & Public Dissemination: The public becomes aware of the impact the training has had on the artist and begins to support via donation and increased consumption of the artist’s products.

Short Term Outcomes

Activities: Participants are more aware of the shortcomings and the need for professional development for self-sufficiency.

Company Incubation: Participants operate with a business mindset implementing sound fiscal practices with the ability to determine strategies for growth and self-employment sustainability.

Knowledge Creation & Public Dissemination: The public becomes more aware of the need to support diverse arts and cultures. The art becomes a means for bridge-building between various communities.

Long Term Outcomes

Activities: Participants can share success stories and come back to mentor and support the next generation of fledgling creative arts entrepreneurs.

Company Incubation: Creative arts entrepreneurs can grow their companies leading to the creation of jobs in the areas of administration, marketing, event planning, PR, customer service, etc.

Knowledge Creation & Public Dissemination:  The public enjoys high-quality, socially responsible, and diverse arts programming that contributes to social cohesion and economic viability in the community.

• Currently Serving 200+
• Serving in One Year (with CAC virtual expansion) 1000+
• Serving in the Next Five Years 5000+

Please note: We currently serve creative artist entrepreneurs. We are using the term small businesses interchangeably with entrepreneurs.

We define our community and its stakeholder by how we impact the artists who participate in festival events each year, in-person and virtually. Since our prime aim is to provide a platform for artist development, support is influenced by the needs of the artist. High-quality programming directly impacts attendance and community presence.

One example is Jeannet Hill, a writer from Austin who never received a grant from her city to produce her work. She contacted us because she was ready to quit. She couldn't get her work produced. She attended the CAC and submitted her work for the Staged Reading category. She won an award for her writing. This resulted in the City awarding her with a $20K grant to produce her work in Austin. She also met Woodie King, a famous NY producer at the Festival. He loved her work and invited her to do a reading Off Broadway!

Providing a safe place for BIPOC artists to grow, develop, and thrive is the most important and impactful social movement of today. Hate, fear, bullying, dehumanization, and marginalization are the current practices that have become societal norms. Our organization has a history of collaborating with over 3000 independent solopreneurs in the past decade. We have provided a springboard for careers and led tens of thousands of patrons towards healing by making them feel affirmed, loved, and accepted. Our spaces are sacred. They are pivotal to the survival of our community. We have historically danced, sung, presented, apologized, lifted, and encouraged each other through the pain of living while Black in the US. This is certainly one more critical platform to remind us that we are human. 

We build trust by being authentic and honest. We provide high value and standards of excellence by delivering world-class programming and services. Customer acquisition is easy, maintaining loyalty takes work and consistency. 

Our business incubator via the Creative Arts Conference (CAC) delivers solutions that support, enhance and develop the next generation of creative arts entrepreneurs. The expansion of direct to consumer landscape has dismantled barriers to entry. This has led to the growth of artists of all genres going it alone. The gig and freelance creative arts economy has an $8 billion impact on the US GDP. By expanding our services and offerings to include professional development in-person and virtually, we are making sure that BIPOC artists are not left out of this emerging trend.

Please note: We currently serve creative artist entrepreneurs. We are using the term small businesses interchangeably with entrepreneurs. 

Our all-female and BIPOC team is uniquely positioned to deliver quality services and support because of our extensive educational background and professional expertise.

Toni Simmons Henson, Producing Director

A poet, best-selling author, and serial entrepreneur. She brings 32 years of expertise in business development, entertainment production, and marketing. Henson has operated three franchises and launched four businesses, most notably, Micah 6-8 Media, Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, Black Family Table Talk Podcast/Blog, and ABTF Travels Arts/Cultural Experiences. A graduate of NYU (MPA), Howard University (BBA) and has Executive Certifications in Non-profit Management and Women-in-Leadership. 

Eric Brooks, Acting Production Manager (Board Member)

A Memphis-based, IT expert who works in mainframe, problem management, and several scheduling packages with users from around the world. He has over 20 years of experience working with theatres and art festivals in production management.

Antonio Henson, Board Treasurer

First Vice President of Community Development Banking - Henson has over 25 years of experience in structuring project financing designed to spur neighborhood revitalization efforts in underserved communities.

Lee Nowell, Consultant

She's adjudicated plays for the National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Arts Council. She's directed and garnered critical acclaim, being named one of the Top Ten Producers of the Year by the AJC, received two Inverness Playwriting Awards, three Turner New Voices in the Works Grants, two NEA Grants, and has been nominated for a Jennie Award, two Suzi Bass Awards, Best Play of the Year by Atlanta Theatre Fans, and NEA Distinguished New Play Development Award.

The funding provided will help us expand our support for BIPOC creative art entrepreneurs This segment mostly exists in silos, unable to support themselves through their artists, with limited access to professional development, fiscal management, technical support, and mentoring. Our partnership with Truist (our bank) will provide the opportunity to expand our support to these entrepreneurs to move them from independent artists solopreneurs to viable business owners with established brands and quality products. 

The expansion of the Creative Arts Conference to a virtual event will help us reach three times the number of artists that we reach each year. The pandemic has shifted the paradigm toward the acceptance of professional development services being delivered online. This shift will open artists up to the awareness that support services exist and they are not alone as they strive to thrive as creative arts entrepreneurs. 

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A partnership would make a difference in the impact we could have on the support of BIPOC artists practicing their art and their ability to earn a living doing so. We could reach three times more artist entrepreneurs. Most BIPOC artists don't have the luxury of developing and honing their skills because they work outside of their respective talent areas. Thousands of artists need our support. They are gifted to remind us of our humanity. It's time for us to support the arts and specifically BIPOC artists' efforts before we self-destruct. I am pleading for approval and the importance of supporting this solution. My plea reminds me of this quote:

"I must study politics and war so that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain." -John Quincy Adams

We currently partner with 250-300 theatre companies, colleges, and creative artist entrepreneurs every year to present entertainment and showcase their work. We would aim to continue this endeavor.