Entrepreneurs can reduce costs by spending a few minutes analyzing their expenses, this blog post will walk you through determining your business operating costs and then reducing some of them. There are two types of expenses you have as a business owner, fixed, and variable…

Looking to take your hobby and turn it into a small business? One of the benefits and necessities of owning a small business is opening up a separate business bank account. This week’s post outlines the 6 common pitfalls of setting up a business bank…

Sales and use tax for artists can be very tricky. It’s an area of small businesses that can have a big learning curve when you are first starting out. This week’s blog post covers some sales and use tax basics for artists and creative small…

The offer to work for exposure runs rampant in the art world. Being an artist or small creative business is a career, but artists are constantly asked to work for free. This is called “payment in exposure” or PIE. As a creative, you have probably…

Having a separate studio is oftentimes the dream of an artist, but renting can be costly, and it’s not just rent that adds up. This week’s blog post highlights the double costs associated with having a studio or rented creative space, meaning the things that…

The fact that you’re reading this week’s post is probably because you have had a few missed opportunities and feel a bit stuck on grant writing and other creative opportunities.  While it may feel like established artists and professors always are receiving awards and grants,…

Artists are always very creative, this includes how money is spent. All expenses can add up quickly, especially the tools and supplies needed to make the work we love. While our creative brains are good at problem-solving and finding the most budget-friendly way to achieve…

This article of grant tips is based on the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant which is funded through the Legacy Amendment. Although most of these tips can be generalized and applied to any sort of grant final report. My tips are based on…

A creative colleague of mine recently emailed me and asked for some advice about the “barriers” section of grants. The barriers section is the part of the grant where you describe what you are struggling with that the grant will help you with. I did…

13. Attend the Info Session If the grant is offering an info session, attend it. I can guarantee you will learn something even if you have applied to the grant before. Things always change in applications. 14. Complete Your Grant Before the Deadline I once was…