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The Creative Capital Retreat

Highlights from the Creative Capital Retreat: Part Three

by Paddy Johnson on August 28, 2015
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In one of her many talks at the Creative Capital retreat this July, President & Executive Director Ruby Lerner spoke of the importance of keeping the organization weird. The short explanation of what this means is simply that she wants them to continue to fund projects that aren’t beholden to the market. (Lerner has announced her retirement, so the succession planning has begun in earnest.) More specifically, though, it means supporting artists who bring a point of view to the table, who aren’t afraid to fail, and who pursue excellence in whatever field they work in. These are artists who exemplify the creative spirit. Their work must be supported.

In my previous two posts summing up highlights from the Creative Capital retreat, I’ve tried to highlight presentations by artists who I felt exemplified those qualities. In my last post on this year’s retreat, I highlight three more. Here goes.

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Highlights from the Creative Capital Retreat: Part Two

by Paddy Johnson on August 21, 2015
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What were the craziest presentations at this year’s Creative Capital retreat in Troy? In my first installment I provided a brief overview of the arts granting agency’s conference—it’s several days in an auditorium listening to amazing artists give seven minute presentations on their projects—and discussed the work of three stand out artists: Lorraine O’Grady, Brittany Nelson and Narcissister. This week I highlight three more. Let’s get this started.

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Highlights from the Creative Capital Retreat: Part One

by Paddy Johnson on August 7, 2015
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The Creative Capital Retreat took place two weeks ago now, and I’m still thinking about it. Nearly every year the organization invites grantees from their latest grant cycles to give seven minute presentations on what they have or will do to a room full of professionals. This year, though, was more emotional than usual. Ruby Lerner, Creative Capital’s Founding President and Executive Director announced she would be retiring earlier in the year, and it’s her vision and guidance that has helped make Creative Capital so unique. With the help of the Warhol Foundation, a strong board and staff, and a robust philanthropic community, the granting agency has done more to help artists than almost any other I know. It’s not just that artists receive a $50,000 grant—though that’s certainly helpful—but that they get access to an incredible array of professional development programs. This retreat is their flagship event.

More after the jump.

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Dispatch From Williamstown: The Creative Capital Retreat Begins

by Paddy Johnson on July 27, 2012
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Not two hours into the Creative Capital Retreat presentations this morning, Beyonce and Jay-Z were name-checked as evidence of the cultural influence Creative Capital artists have on culture. It turns out that their child, Blue Ivy, was named after an essay by grantee Rebecca Solnit. While Creative Capital President Ruby Lerner was quick to concede that the organization had not entertained the idea that they might lure the couple out to the retreat, she did offer other Creative Capital project titles as resource for any future babies. E-Team’s, “If the Dancing Gets Too Stiff, The Rain Must Get Dug Out As Ice-Cubes”, is my pick for their next child’s name.

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Transforming a Foundation into an Institution: An Interview with Creative Capital’s Ruby Lerner

by Paddy Johnson on October 14, 2015
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Every summer, when Creative Capital grantees and consultants arrive at the annual Creative Capital Retreat, President and Executive Director Ruby Lerner is there to meet them. It’s a small gesture, but I always thought it reflected the spirit of the organization and Ruby herself: warm, generous, and there for you when you want to get down to work. (Nobody goes to the retreat expecting not to work.)

This year, Ruby announced that she will step down from the helm of Creative Capital.

Given all the accomplishments of the foundation under her lead, I wanted to get a better sense of that history. With the organization hosting its fall benefit tomorrow—a homecoming ball in honour of Ruby—the timing couldn’t be better.

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From Operas to Activism: Creative Capital Convenes

by Paddy Johnson on August 2, 2013
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I went to the Creative Capital Retreat last weekend. This is my recap of the event, and a list of grantees you should know.

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Expanding The Creative Capital Network

by Paddy Johnson on July 30, 2012
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In an introduction post to Creative Capital’s eighth retreat, President and Executive Director Ruby Lerner describes the event as the “crown jewels of a system we have developed to support our artists’ projects.” Their goal “is to encourage long-term relationship-building among grantees, and between grantees and arts professionals.” As a past grantee myself, (I won an Arts Writers grant in 2008), I can say without any hesitation that it’s working.

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Writers: Apply to the Arts Writers Grant Program

by Corinna Kirsch on April 16, 2014
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Do it!

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