This immersive and interactive course is designed to support your growth as an artist by giving you the tools you need to develop your vision, goals, and communications. The program is structured so that you can connect with your peers in the course as well as the local artists and business professionals leading the workshops. Emerging literary, performing, and visual artists of all kinds will have something to gain from this program.
Program attendees will receive workbooks to help build on the knowledge gained in each workshop. Coffee and breakfast items will be provided.
2026 dates will be announced soon!
This program is great for emerging artists who are looking for the next step in your career.
You might be:
- Rediscovering your art after several years
- A recent graduate from an art school program
- A self-taught artist gaining momentum
- An artist who needs a refresher on business-related skills
2026 Program Dates TBA
In person at Summit Artspace
There is no fee to apply. If accepted, the participation fee is a self-selecting amount between $50-$250. The program is valued at $1,750 per participant and has been subsidized through the support of our generous sponsors. If the participation fee is a concern and you need assistance with attending, please contact natalie@summitartspace.org.
Ohio Reclaimed: What Once Was artists Mary Defer, Dee Fairweather, Theresa Göttl Brightman discuss how their Artist Launchpad experience formed the exhibition which was part of Summit Artspace’s fall 2024 exhibition cycle.
Video created by Rob Greer of ZaBre Inspire.
2025 SCHEDULE
Week 1- Where are you NOW?
Setting the Stage
Introductions to the schedule content, goals of the course, and how to make the most of it
Analyzing Your Current Place
This activity will help you evaluate your current strengths and identify opportunities to strengthen your skills
Networking Mixer
Mingle with current and past participants of the program, peer local artists, along with instructors of the course
Week 2- What Do You Want to Do with Your Art?
Releasing Limiting Beliefs
Led by an established local artist, this activity will help you shed any self-imposed beliefs that may be holding you back from achieving your goals
Your Ideal Life as an Artist
This session will help you create a vision for your career as an artist that centers your creative practice
Week 3- How Will You Get There?
Making Goals Work for You
This session will give you the tools you need to create realistic, concrete goals to support your artistic practice and get you to the next phase of your career
Forming Good Habits
Participants will hear from established local artists on how to create habits that make your goals achievable while centering your art
Week 4- What Makes Your Art Unique?
Essential Elements of Your Practice
An established local artist will lead a self-reflective activity to help you focus-in on what is unique and essential about your artistic practice
Leveraging Your Unique Selling Points
A business professional will give you the tools you need to transform the distinctive qualities of your art into a brand
Week 5- How Will You Talk About It?
Building Relationships & Gaining Believers
Through the lens of an established local artist, discover the process of talking about your work in a way that will gain believers
Your Communications Strategy
Using information from the previous session, a business professional will help you develop strategic content to reach your target audiences online
Week 6- How Will it Work?
Business, Not Hobbies
Participants will hear from established local artists on how to structure their arts business and pricing strategies
Making Art Work
This session will feature a panel of artists from a variety of artistic disciplines- literary, performing, and visual- so that you can hear from your artist peers in the community about how to gain opportunities in your respective genres
Week 7- Where are you going NEXT?
Hosted at the Akron Art Museum!
Presentations
Each participant will share the highlights of vision, goals, next steps for your career as an artist
Previous Instructors:
Neema Bal
Katie Beck
Kristen Dowey
Dara Harper
Tyron Hoisten
Micah Kraus
Eva Kwong
Drew Ippoliti
Nick Lee
Heather Meeker
Meghan Meeker
Marissa McClellan
Matt Miller
Dominic Moore-Dunson
Ashley Moore-Dunson
Natalie Grieshammer Patrick
Barbara Sabol
Jeri Lee Sapronetti
Arnold Tunstall
Chanda Woodall
