Local nonprofit Art Boost helps artists develop the business skills they need to build sustainable careers

How has Art Boost evolved since it first started?

Sakal: The original idea was a series of workshops called “Things I Didn’t Learn in Art School.” Because the idea came out of the Leadership Arts Institute, a cohort program that trains people to serve on boards, the group decided to culminate its work in a yearly conference.

The first year focused heavily on visual arts, with sessions on finance, marketing, legal issues, grants and public works. In the following years, we became more inclusive and eventually added sessions for music and literary arts.

What did you see artists struggling with that helped inspire Art Boost?

Matsushita: When I was younger, I started dancing in middle school, and I loved it. When I reached the point of deciding what to do with the rest of my life, I thought, “Oh, I can’t do dance. I can’t do that.”

I started down a path thinking I wanted to be a doctor, but I was still dancing the whole time. Eventually, I realized that my colleagues and I were struggling with the same things. Nobody had a clear answer for how to become an artist or guidance on how to navigate that path. That’s the problem.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about making a living as an artist?

Sakal: I think there’s a misconception that if I create something, people will be drawn to it. If I just make things, people will find me. Artists are really focused on creating, but they don’t necessarily realize the amount of effort and consistency it takes on the business side to get noticed.

Matsushita: There’s a big misconception around understanding the value of an artist’s product or service. Artists have been told by society that their art isn’t important. But when you look at the economics of art and the fact that people use it in everything, from marketing and language to visuals and experiences, you see that someone is making money from it.

Van Pelt: We’ve focused on helping artists learn practical skills, but what surprised me about Art Boost was the desire for community. People are looking for a sense of family and support.