Dig into New England's Free Directory
of Creative Enterprises and Artists
Happy New Year!
two dancers pose in front of a foggy forest. One dancer balances on one leg standing on the other dancer's thigh
NSquared Dance (New Hampshire), Photo by Blessed Day Photography
Hello CreativeGround Community,

We're peeking our heads out of the snowy ground to see how you're doing. We thought we'd have big news by now to warm you up, but we've had some technical delays, and we want to assure you that the soft launch of the new CreativeGround is coming soon! It’s like the [Creative]Groundhog saw his shadow at the end of 2021 and needed six more weeks of necessary work… The CreativeGround team’s enthusiasm for the upgraded platform is still present, and we are digging in to give you the best initial CreativeGround 2.0 experience.

We're especially excited to share the much improved Search function and fresh site visuals, and to engage more deeply with you via the new blog and more ways to get involved with the community.

We continue to be eager to break new CreativeGround - building on the input and dreams you and your creative neighbors shared for a visible, connected and knowledgeable creative community. We are confident the new site will provide tools to make the New England Creative Economy sustainable for decades to come.

Thank you for your patience with this process. We know that conditions continue to be difficult for the creative sector. We've included some resources in this email to uplift national conversations around the value of the creative economy and the supports most needed going forward.

More soon!

Warmly,
The CreativeGround Team
She/Her/Hers
Senior Program Director, Research & Creative Economy
She/Her/Hers
Community Engagement Coordinator, Creative Economy
She/Her/Hers
Program Administrator, Creative Economy
You May Be Asking...
dramatic lighting of a tarp over a garden plot
Photo by Oscar Palacio (Massachusetts)
What is a soft launch?
A soft launch means the refreshed site will replace the one you’re used to in the next few months, but some changes will still be in progress. We will be entirely focused on our current site users (i.e. you!) during soft launch. We’ll keep you posted as any updates go live, and we will provide tutorials, webinars, and community chats to help you all navigate the new and improved functionality.
 
Should I keep making updates to my profile on the current site?
Absolutely! All of your edits will be brought to the new platform. Make your updates as you have capacity and materials to include. We continue to have over 15,000 unique visitors to CreativeGround each month- visitors like you who search to connect with profile owners, and/or create and update profiles to enhance their professional presence.

Psst... 
We launched an Instagram! Follow us @CreativeGround.NEFA (we'll follow back!). Let us know if you'd be interested in doing an Instagram takeover to share your experience as a member of New England's creative economy. We feel like the start of Lunar New Year of the Tiger (roar!) and Black History/Future month provide a great opportunity to earnestly begin rooting into with our community on Instagram.
 
Will the site update affect my profile's eligibility for NEFA grants?
No! Just make sure that you are meeting the profile qualifications specified on the relevant NEFA grant page. Please contact the appropriate grant program staff if you have any questions or concerns about how your profile is included on a grant application.
Inspired to make updates to your profile now? Or claim a profile that you need to refresh?
Newsworthy
traditional Indian dancer in authentic attire moves through a performance outdoors in a park in early New England fall
Sarada Nori (Connecticut), KK Photography
The Power, Peril, and Promise of the Creative Economy
History happened on January 19 when the House's Small Business Committee had its first ever hearing on the creative economy. Watch the recording of the hearing to witness the conversations around investments in key infrastructure to provide a roadmap for bringing arts, culture, and creativity into the center of long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
a multi-tiered theater sits empty, waiting for performance and audience
New England States Touring
New England States Touring (NEST) grant funds performances, readings, and screenings of work by regional, national, and international artists presented by New England-based nonprofit organizations.
Next Deadline: March 8, 2022
Resources
batik textiles sewn into facemasks to prevent covid
Masks by Small Batch Design Company (Vermont)
NEFA's monthly opportunities blog lists upcoming regional and national deadlines for grants, professional development, gigs, and more.

Regional Opportunities

New England Foundation for the Arts


Your State Arts Agency

Sidy is energized by the beat he plays out on his large bongo drum
Sidy Maiga (Rhode Island)
National

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

Additional National Highlights
Contact
Morganna Becker (she/her/hers)
Community Engagement Coordinator, Creative Economy
CreativeGround@nefa.org | 617-951-0010 x535
A project of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), CreativeGround is brought to you through ongoing partnerships with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Maine Arts Commission, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and the Vermont Arts Council.
You're receiving this email because you have a user account on CreativeGround have opted into receiving communications from CreativeGround. Please contact CreativeGround@nefa.org with any questions or concerns.

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