What is LAB?

• LAB will support a diverse cohort of 30 artists and creators at different points in their careers with individual grants of $30,000 to nurture their creative practice and artistry and, for some grantees, to also present new and/or existing work.
• Rooted in core principles of artistic risk-taking, creative discomfort, and centering personal and professional development through well-being, trainings and support will be organized into four different themes:
  • Personal Growth, Health and Wellness
  • Mentorship and Planned Accountability
  • The Business of Creativity (Professional Development)
  • and Creative Works and Progress (Constructive Feedback)
• Over the course of the 18-month grant period, grantees commit to participate in at least 70 percent of the seminars and sessions, shaping peer-to-peer learning to deeply connect, empower, and encourage their fellow artists to advance their work, practice, and relationships.
• Grantees will be able to expand their networks across disciplines, as well as meet industry leaders to generate opportunities for work, learning and collaboration.
• Please note: To ensure that reviewers can provide full and thoughtful consideration to each application there will be two rounds of applications. The first round will be to check eligibility and for program goals, with completed applications moving to round two. If an applicant does not align with LAB program goals, the individual will be redirected to other local grant opportunities as well as have the opportunity to hear feedback about their application.

In keeping with the missions of both the Barr Foundation and The Boston Foundation, we emphasize advocating for meaningful change and partnership with community leaders to address historic and systemic inequities. The pursuit of equity demands us to understand and appreciate diverse communities, and to work to allocate resources and momentum as needed to create equal opportunities for all community members.

COVID-19 made a challenging road even more so for Greater Boston artists, creators, cultural practitioners, and presenting organizations, with few able to give their creative work the time and attention it deserves, or to shake off the old trope of “starving artist.” LAB believes the work of artists and creatives is vital for thriving communities. Designed with artists at the center, LAB is an investment in the time and space for them to ideate, learn, connect, collaborate, take risks, and create – so that they too can thrive.

If you have any questions, please contact LAB@tbf.org