Sparking Fall River's Creative Economy!
Through this initiative we spark a synergy and support the sustainable growth of art and business in Fall River. We focus on important areas that help local artists and entrepreneurs thrive through mini-grants (Ignition Fund), no-cost education (Ignition ED), and retail space activation (Ignition Space).
Learn how we encourage creative people, promote entrepreneurship, bring life to empty spaces, and empower a strong creative workforce. Let's work together to create a vibrant and successful community through art and culture. Read the Fall River Herald article here. Read the MassDevelopment press release about the project here.
Now accepting proposals
The Ignition Space is a white-box space located at 341 South Main Street. This space, provided by FRACC, offers a safe environment for exhibitions, learning, and creative arts programming.
Our approximately 700 sq ft of space eliminates these barriers by providing a secure environment for practice, learning, and on-site support as you carry out your proposed event or project. Creative individuals, small organizations, and community groups are invited to submit proposals through a community request process.
Check out the FRACC blog to learn more about The Ignition Space!
Workshop enrollment is now open!
Creative Entrepreneur Workshops with Mary Ellen DeFrias
presented by Business Solutions & Partnerships Bristol Community College
FRACC is generously sponsoring four, two-hour a la carte virtual workshops designed with regional creative entrepreneurs in mind to support individual to elevate their small business practices. The Bristol facilitators will provide the opportunity for individualized Q & A 30 minutes to 1 hour after each workshop or technical support per request on a first come first serve basis.
Tax Planning And Schedule C For Creatives: Filing As A Business Since You Are One
This workshop has passed – Watch the video here
When you receive a grant for a project that is paid to you as an individual your first reaction is to rejoice: you got funding! Your next should be how am I going to track the income and expenses so I don’t pay too much of the money as taxes. This workshop will provide info to help you understand planning for taxes, organizing record keeping and what you can write off against your 1099 (grant and other) income. We will focus on how to manage tracking what should be declared on your Schedule C or other tax records filed under your own tax ID.
Essential Marketing for Creatives
This workshop has passed – Watch the video here
Even the most interesting work you can do can languish if no one is aware of it. Learn why you need marketing through social media and how to promote yourself (and get results) through that and effective email blasts. Learn how to manage your marketing and your public identity. Find out the basics of how often to put things out and what are the basics of good posts in social media and good content in email blasts. Learn some basics of the tools available for social media management and email marketing creation. This is a basic-level workshop and no previous experience is necessary.
Writing Placemaking Grants
This workshop has passed – Watch the video here
Publicly accessible art and community participation are at the heart of many arts and culture grants, known as place-based grants. This workshop will cover the basic building blocks that make up a proposal, including the review process and how to persevere through rejection. Led by reviewers and successful grant writers with place-based grant experience, they will discuss what makes a good proposal and what makes a good placemaking project. Participants will leave empowered and prepared to write a grant proposal.
Project Planning For Creatives
This workshop has passed - Watch the video here
Many of the things creatives do require a complex set of plans. Deciding the type of project, its goals, the scope, the timeline, the materials, the team (if any), the budget, finding funding, or producing a project proposal on guesswork and marketing… can feel daunting without a plan. This workshop will break that down into more straightforward ways of planning and developing a project for any creative person. A plan you can execute is more likely to lead to success than flying by the seat of your pants. Participants will learn how to plan an appropriate project for the appropriate opportunity. This is an introductory-level workshop.
In 2022 FRACC introduced this new grant program to support and fund Fall River’s artists. The pilot grant program brought a multifaceted approach to advancing the City of Fall River’s creative economic recovery and accelerated growth from the pandemic to “build back better”.
A total of $25,000 in mini-grants was awarded to ten individual creatives. Congratulations to the grant recipients! Funds were used to sustain their livelihood and implement a public-facing placemaking project. Read our press release to learn more.
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We hope to see you there!
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The Ignition Project is facilitated by FRACC, a committee of the One SouthCoast Chamber. The Ignition Project is supported by TDI Creative Catalyst Grant Program which is administered by MassDevelopment and funded by the Barr Foundation.