We are so excited to present this exciting series of conversations this fall as part of our Buttress program! All of the conversations will take place virtually and the video will be available for anyone unable to attend.



Events are FREE and open to the public! However, we would be very grateful if you would register ahead of time so we can collect your questions and confirm your access needs before the event.



All events will take place on Zoom with automated captions. If you have any access needs that we can help meet please let us know as early as possible so we can do our best to accommodate you. Please confirm your access needs by August 30th for all September events, September 19th for all October events, and October 27th for all November events.



Tuesday, September 6th @ 8pm EST

NEFA, National Dance Project, and Other Fall Grant Opportunities

Cheri Opperman, NEFA



Wednesday, September 7th @ 12pm EST

Creating & Presenting Accessible Art on an Accessible Budget

Charles Baldwin



Tuesday, October 4th @ 8pm EST

Mindset Matters: Shifting the Lens

Kelsey Griffith



Wednesday, October 5th @ 8pm EST

Presenters Are Just People - Tips on Marketing & Networking

Sarah Duclos



Thursday, November 10th @ 12pm EST

Winter Grants/2023 Grant Prep

Jessica Roseman & Kim Holman



Saturday, November 12th @ 6pm EST

Access Doulaship

JJ Omelagah



What is a Brown Bag Lunch?

In 2014 Monkeyhouse realized that we weren’t the only members of our community who frequently felt like there were gaps in our knowledge about being a successful artist and that mentorship opportunities were few and far between. As a result we created Brown Bag Lunches, a series of curated conversations where artists could ask questions and share resources in a low stakes, community building environment.



As the name suggests, the goal of Brown Bag Lunches is for all participants to bring their knowledge to the table and to encourage the belief that none of us have to do this alone. While not every event happens in the afternoon (or involves eating meals), they each begin with the premise that every one of us adds value to our community. Even events with special guests brought in to share their specific knowledge leave room for everyone’s voice to be heard.



Topics range from accessibility to grant writing to ways of dealing with rejection. Through these conversations pods of artists have popped up who help read each other’s applications and provide invaluable feedback; artists have written and received their first grants; and lifelong artistic and personal relationships have been developed. Special guests for Brown Bag Lunches have included Charles Baldwin (Mass Cultural Council), Andrea Blesso (Boston Center for the Arts), Morganna Becker (NEFA), and Kelsey Griffith (Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention).



Whether you make dances or dictionaries, we invite you to join us for the next Brown Bag and help build a stronger, more sustainable arts community.





What is Buttress?



but·tress

/ˈbətrəs/

verb



1. provide (a building or structure) with projecting supports built against its walls.



2. increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce.



Monkeyhouse’s Buttress program provides professional development support for choreographers, dance artists and dance organizations through a series of public and private programs. Through support from the Somerville Arts Council we have been able to offer 40 hours of individual mentoring on administrative issues that are rarely taught in college programs, e.g. fundraising on social media, nurturing relationships with presenters, and writing effective alt text. Fall 2022 we will be offering a series of Brown Bag Lunches: Curated Community Conversations on topics like planning your grant application calendar, the value of access doulaship within the arts for those in and out of the Disability community, and practicing self care as a freelance artist. Monkeyhouse will also provide two group grant writing sessions in the lead up to the busy fall application season.



Through our Covid Collaborations Monkeyhouse has supported over 115 artists and arts organizations since 2020. Our mentoring has a proven track record of helping local artists to receive grants, adapting to new methods of presenting work, and writing dynamic press materials. Buttress ensures artists can sustainably grow and develop with the support of our entire community behind them.





Sponsored in part by the Somerville Arts Council.