Staff from the following organizations are eager to meet you to tell you about $$$ funding opportunities available to artists and creatives:

– New England Foundation for the Arts, grants for BIPOC-led public art projects

– BuyBlackNB, vendor markets, black-owned business directory

– Entrepreneurship for All South Coast, pitch contests and training program

– New Bedford Creative, grants for individual artists, calls for art, creative directory

– Mass Cultural Council, grants for individual artists, art fellowships, art projects

– SouthCoast Community Foundation, creative SouthCoast initiative

Refreshments provided, Music by Peter Lonelle Walker of 3rd EyE Youth Empowerment
Free street parking on Purchase St. or Maxfield St. It’s easiest to enter the event at Groundwork through the Maxfield Street entrance.

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Buy Black NB empowers its local Black Business Community to thrive by securing economic opportunities through community collaboration, educational opportunities, and the development of networking initiatives and programs. Buy Black NB envisions a region where Black people are creating, organizing, and leading in spaces of belonging within their community in order to thrive and walk in their power.

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is accelerating economic and social impact in communities nationwide through inclusive entrepreneurship. EforAll offered its first program in the South Coast back in 2015 and continues to work proudly side-by-side with these communities to help drive economic revitalization in this historic region.

Mass Cultural Council works to elevate our rich cultural life in Massachusetts. We partner with communities across the Commonwealth to expand access, improve education, promote diversity, and encourage excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Through our efforts, we make our state a better place to live, work, and visit for everyone.

New Bedford Creative is housed at the New Bedford Economic Development Council, and tasked with implementing the city’s first-ever strategic arts and culture plan, published in December 2018. The vision of the plan is that “In New Bedford, the creative community is an engaged and powerful partner, inspiring social, economic, and cultural growth. In this authentic seaport city, each and every person enjoys an opportunity to experience a diversity of cultures. Art is everywhere, encouraging fun, provoking thought, and nurturing the soul.”

Thank you to our sponsor New England Foundation for the Arts! NEFA invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA contributes to a nation where artists flourish and communities celebrate art as essential to a thriving, equitable society.

Thank you to Groundwork for hosting this event! Groundwork’s coworking space in New Bedford occupies 7,000 square feet of a former textile school, just a couple blocks from downtown New Bedford. This space enjoys ample natural light and is home to many beloved plants. Groundwork New Bedford offers 14 private offices, three meeting rooms, a Zoom room, two phone booths, 4,000 square feet of flexible workspace, and an incredible community of professionals.

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In order to keep our gathering as safe as possible during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are requesting that all attendees:

– wear masks during the gathering (except when actively eating or drinking)

– be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (strongly encouraged)

– and please stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms

If necessary, BuyBlackNB and NB Creative will confirm any other necessary safety protocols 48 hours in advance of the event.