The Indiana Arts Commission announced today that 20 Hoosier creative entrepreneurs will participate in the agency’s On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator. On-Ramp is an award-winning program designed to educate artists and creative professionals in key areas of entrepreneurship and finance and to provide ongoing mentorship and development of arts-based small businesses.
Over the course of three days, from May 13-15, participants will follow a curriculum designed and led by Dr. Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts. The programming will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the Indy Arts Council serving as cohost for On-Ramp. On-Ramp focuses on key business concepts for a successful creative career including defining value, business structure, identifying and marketing to customers, pricing strategy, marketing strategy, managing expenses and generating revenue, taxes, and planning. Since its inception in 2018, over 270 creative small businesses from across Indiana have benefited from the On-Ramp program.
"Indiana's artists and creative entrepreneurs are innovators who are supporting their local economies, growing their businesses, and employing Hoosiers,” said Jordan Adams, Artist Services Program Manager with the Indiana Arts Commission. “The On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator is proud to support these creative entrepreneurs who are driving the momentum of the creative workforce of our state."
Participating creative entrepreneurs include:
- Alicia Thomas, Marion County
- Beth Guipe Hall, Marion County
- Brailon Wolfe, Marion County
- Claire Pendleton, Marion County
- Emily Mellentine, Marion County
- Eric Baker, Marion County
- India Hines, Marion County
- Jennifer Castoe, Marion County
- Jordan Rivers, Johnson County
- Julie Xiao, Marion County
- Leslie Cordray, Vigo County
- Lynette Eklund, Fayette County
- Makenzie Lukas, Marion County
- Matt DeLoughery, Marion County
- Morgan Binkerd, Marion County
- Nancy Fritz, Allen County
- Narvell Taylor, Allen County
- Natalee Wright, Whitley County
- Rachel Meiser, Hancock County
- Zaria Chandler, Lake County
At the conclusion of the three-day training, the entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to submit proposals for a $2,000 fellowship to directly apply course lessons to their creative career and small business development. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of mentor creative entrepreneurs and business professionals who will provide feedback based upon their individual and collective expertise.
Learn more about the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator.