Delaware Arts Equity and Innovation Incubator - Banner featuring the five pilot organizations: The Choir School of Delaware, Clear Space Theatre Company, Delaware Art Museum, The Delaware Contemporary, and The Freeman Arts Pavilion 

Delaware Arts Equity and Innovation Incubator

The Arts Equity and Innovation Incubator is engineered as a catalyst to increase the relevancy, accessibility and viability of arts and culture organizations, thereby fueling economic development and social cohesion. A collaborative fund and business support system underwritten by government, corporate, and philanthropic dollars, it is an entrepreneurial investment in the next ideas that will drive the future of our sector.  

“A diverse and thriving arts and culture sector is essential to the connection, well-being and economic prosperity of Delaware communities. Therefore, it is critical to invest in arts and culture now so that the sector is well poised to meet the increasingly complex and interrelated social and economic challenges of our time,” said Deputy Secretary of State Kristopher Knight.

A cohort of five pilot arts organizations worked with a consulting team to evaluate current financial, governance, and programmatic practices and develop custom strategies for sustainable practices and programming that integrated the principles of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) into all aspects of each organization’s operations. 

Pilot arts organizations had to be willing to embrace best practices in governance, management, and programming, including new ways to educate, engage, and deliver quality content to the community and to transform current business models/practices to meet the demands of changing markets and demographics. 

“We hope, as a result of this opportunity, that these organizations will experience even greater clarity around their visions and next steps, strengthened connections to peer organizations, and improved access to the resources needed to carry out this important work,” said Caitlin Butler, consultant.

The Incubator will provide technical support and competitive grants disbursed over two years to inspire arts and culture nonprofits toward the following goals:  

1. Foster Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Actively address equity, especially as it relates to long-term sustainability, by incorporating the principles of DEI in organizational structures, practices, and programming. And: 

2. Support Innovation and Sustainability: 

Actively address migration of business models/practices to innovative and viable models that meet the demands of changing markets and demographics

Caitlin Butler Consulting and Sadao Ghosh LLC

Timeline: 

Discovery Phase – September to December 2021

Convenings – December 2021 to April 2022 

Peer Mentor Groups – December 2021 to April 2022 

Planning Phase – January to March 2022  

Documentation Phase – April 2022 

Special Project Grant – April 2022 

Grants Awarded – June 2022 

Project Implementation – June 2022 – June 2024 

Timeline: 

Discovery Phase – September to December 2022

Convenings – December 2022 to April 2023 

Peer Mentor Groups – December 2022 to April 2023 

Planning Phase – January to March 2023

Documentation Phase – April 2023 

Special Project Grant – April 2023 

Grants Awarded – June 2023 

Project Implementation – June 2023 – June 2025 

Available Grants

All Division Grants

Deadlines Vary

 

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Contact Us

Jessica Ball
Division Director
302-577-8278