What Do You Believe Your Imagination Can Do For You?

What Do You Believe Your Imagination Can Do For You?
If I told you I could make a genie came out of this lamp and grant you three wishes for anything in the world you wanted would you believe it could really happen? How far are you willing to believe in what your imagination can do for you and your future as an artist? The truth of the matter is that...

Take Our Survey and Help The IAE Learn About Your Needs!

Take Our Survey and Help The IAE Learn About Your Needs!
As we get closer and closer to the premiere semester of the Institute For Arts Entrepreneurship’s two-year arts entrepreneurship program, we’re trying to take a closer look at the needs of our students so that we can build a truly unique structure and curriculum that is responsive to the...

What Arts Entrepreneurs Can Learn From the Grateful Dead

What Arts Entrepreneurs Can Learn From the Grateful Dead
There’s a fascinating article up over at the Atlantic today on how the Grateful Dead were utilizing many more contemporary business tactics before they even existed.  Things like allowing their fans to tape and share live shows, social networking and more.  For independent producers, freelancers...

Create. Innovate. Repeat. Let’s Experiment

Create. Innovate. Repeat. Let’s Experiment
So, this Friday The IAE is hosting this real fun private networking event for artists and entrepreneurs at Rockit Bar in Chicago downtown. We have had a lot of people sign up for the event. We even released another 50 tickets for more folks to attend and they, too, all went fast.  Feels great to have...

A Better Idea than Beating Out the Competition

A Better Idea than Beating Out the Competition
“Build a better mousetrap” is the strategy adopted by most artists.  Believing that beating out the competition will lead to gigs and success, they work tirelessly to dance a little better, play a little faster, paint a little bigger.  This same tactic is applied to building a website, architecting...

No Banana Fever at the Grammys

No Banana Fever at the Grammys
I’m a big fan of J.D. Salinger, who passed away this week at 91, and of the Grammy Awards, which celebrated music in its stunning spectacle of creative performance on Sunday. Now, Holden Caulfield would likely take issue with the superficial celebrity culture of pop music. As you may recall, Holden,...

Guest Blog: Art Is Business, Period

Guest Blog: Art Is Business, Period
As the owner and founder of the Gorilla Tango Theatre in Chicago, Dan Abbate has done something that so many aspiring arts entrepreneurs aspire to do: he’s found a way to make a profit and make a living while providing opportunities all sorts of opportunities for local producers and performers. I’ve...

Q+A: Jennifer Ann Bowers

Q+A: Jennifer Ann Bowers
As we get closer and closer to the opening of the Institute For Arts Entrepreneurship in Fall 2010, we wanted to spotlight some artistic entrepreneurs who have found success in their field. In our new series, Questions and Artists, we’ll pose a few burning questions to these brave artists who have...

A Case Study:The Story of Blue Man Group

A Case Study:The Story of Blue Man Group
In the late 1980’s Phil Stanton and 2 of his friends began giving free performances on the streets of New York City. “We had a character idea,” said Stanton of the group’s early days. “We added to each characters experience, and it –grew—it still continues to grow.”  ...

10 Online Marketing Trends for 2010

10 Online Marketing Trends for 2010
This article appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine on December 24, 2009. It was written by John Arnold  who is a leading marketing speaker, trainer and consultant who specializes in do-it-yourself marketing advice for small businesses, franchises and associations. John Arnold’s no-nonsense marketing...

What can jazz teach us about passion?

What can jazz teach us about passion?
In this special guest blog, Michael Gold takes us back to an important moment in jazz history and tells us how we could all learn a thing or two about true passion from one of music’s greats.

Our Deepest Fear

Our Deepest Fear
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your...

Overcoming Mediocrity

Overcoming Mediocrity
Baaahhhh! In Australia, it is called “Tall Poppy Syndrome” (the tallest poppies get cut). In Scandinavia, it is called Jante Loven (or Jante’s Law). Many countries weave a societal pressure into their cultural fabric, teaching youth to not stand out, to fit in, and to tow the community party line....