Grant for
Springboard for the Arts

Film by Passenger Productions.
Springboard for the Arts invests in artists as a powerful asset for building stronger communities, economies and neighborhoods. An organization with a national reach and reputation, Springboard connects artists to the resources they need to make a living and a life, and communities to artists who can lead creative problem solving.
From offices in Saint Paul and Fergus Falls, Springboard's work in economic and community development illuminates the social and financial value of art and creativity. Its placemaking partnerships in urban and rural communities turn overlooked and undervalued public spaces into welcoming places. Its innovations also include programs to ensure artists have access to health care, an emergency relief fund for artists experiencing a career-threatening incident or responding to a community emergency, and a series of creative health-focused activities at community clinics to engage people in improving healthcare and social connections. Springboard also recently launched an initiative to provide crowdsourced, no-interest loans to creative entrepreneurs.
Springboard freely shares its work to encourage widespread integration of culture into daily life. Driven by the question "What else is possible?" Springboard is building a permanent home on University Avenue in Saint Paul to serve as a national center for work at the intersection of art and community.