Detroit Artists Market (DAM) is proud to announce the launch of its Creative Entrepreneurship Initiative, a new program designed to equip visual artists with the practical business skills and entrepreneurial tools needed to sustain successful creative careers.

This program is made possible with support from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, whose partnership helps DAM expand access to professional development for artists across the region.

“Planning for this program began in 2023, when we started outlining ways to help artists strengthen the business side of their practice,” said Miah J. Davis Gardner, Executive Director of Detroit Artists Market. “Before coming to DAM, I helped launch a startup nonprofit focused on equity and entrepreneurship, and that experience taught me how transformative it can be when people have access to the right tools, mentorship, and networks. I realized those same principles could apply to artists who are, at their core, entrepreneurs.

“People often separate artists from entrepreneurs, but I don’t see the difference. If you’re an artist trying to sell your work, you’re doing what any entrepreneur does - building a product, finding your market, managing your brand, and taking financial risks. The only real difference is access. Entrepreneurs get incubators and investors; artists get told to ‘follow their passion’ and figure it out alone. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan understood that gap and became the first to invest in closing it.”

Originally funded in early 2025, the initiative was temporarily delayed following the catastrophic flood that damaged DAM’s Midtown gallery in January. After months of recovery and rebuilding, DAM is proud to bring the program to life as originally envisioned - a milestone that reflects both the organization’s resilience and its deep commitment to Detroit’s artists. During the closure, DAM refocused on program design and structure, developing the framework and session outlines that facilitators used to shape their workshops.

The series builds on successful pilot efforts that have strengthened DAM’s role as an incubator for artist development. Over the past year, DAM has introduced Arts Industry Talks and Networking Nights, programs that connect artists with industry professionals and peers, and restructured its Featured Artist Program to include the new Professional Practices for Emerging Artists curriculum, which introduces emerging artists to the business of art and professional gallery practice.

For more than 90 years, DAM has shown and sold the work of local artists while keeping contemporary art free and accessible to the public. Through exhibitions, sales opportunities, and mentorship, the organization has become a cornerstone of Detroit’s art community. The Creative Entrepreneurship Initiative represents the next step in that evolution by helping artists not only show their work, but also build sustainable creative businesses in an ever-changing economy.

Program Overview
Each workshop focuses on a key area of creative business development, led by industry experts across arts and culture and business development. The curriculum centers on four core themes: Bridging the Gap Between Art and Entrepreneurship, Business Incubation and Training, Innovation and Experimentation, and Bolstering Inclusive Opportunities. Through sessions ranging from pricing and contracts to marketing, grant writing, and inclusive practice, artists gain practical tools to strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset, build financial literacy, and connect with peers, mentors, and collectors.

A Long-Term Vision for Sustainability
The Creative Entrepreneurship Workshop Series marks the next step in DAM’s ongoing work to serve as a lasting resource for Detroit’s artists. With initial support from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, DAM aims to secure additional investments and partnerships to sustain and expand the program through 2027 and beyond. By embedding entrepreneurship training into DAM’s ongoing artist support, the initiative ensures that every one of the 400+ artists DAM works with each year can access practical, lasting resources for professional growth. DAM’s recent capacity-building investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation further strengthens the organization’s ability to deliver programs like the Creative Entrepreneurship Initiative and expand long-term impact.

“Our goal is to make business training for artists a permanent part of Detroit’s cultural infrastructure,” Davis Gardner said. “We’re building something that can grow with the community.”

Registration and Details
The Creative Entrepreneurship Workshop Series begins next month at Detroit Artists Market. Registration information and workshop dates are available at https://detroitartistsmarket.org/creative-entrepreneurship-workshops/. 

About Detroit Artists Market
Founded in 1932, the Detroit Artists Market is a nonprofit gallery committed to contemporary art and connecting artists, collectors, and communities. DAM hosts exhibitions, educational programs, and community workshops, all designed to promote meaningful engagement with contemporary art and the artists who create it. Each year, DAM shows the work of over 400 artists living and working in Metro Detroit.

About the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a full-service philanthropic organization leading the way to positive change in our region. As a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations, the Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development, and civic affairs. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $1.1 billion through more than 74,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair, and Livingston counties. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org.