Supporting creative people through:
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Business leadership training.
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Expert-led professional workshops.
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One-on-one check-ins with career coaches.
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Guidance through the process of building a successful and change-making creative brand.
Facing today’s challenges requires creativity, and a more creative world begins with thriving artists.
Creative people are in crisis
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40-60% of artists live below the poverty line.
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U.S. funding for the arts fell 43% over the last two decades.
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This decline is sharpest among underserved communities who would benefit the most from arts programming.
We are Marko
Mastering the business of art
Marko: Business School for Creative People is helping raise the standard of living for creative people, particularly from underrepresented groups, through free career training courses.
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We build
Frequent group classes guide mentees through the steps to develop a thriving creative business.
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We connect
Industry guest lecturers educate attendees on topics from finances, to pitching, to marketing.
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We prosper
Individualized check-ins provide attendees with the tools to carve their own successful career path and find their own creative community.
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Who we help
We embrace a wide definition of who an artist can be. Artists are creative people in any field: writers, web developers, marketers, producers, photographers, musicians, and anyone for whom a passion for “creating” fuels their soul.
Our work is especially aimed at empowering artists from underserved communities, who have historically been granted less access to creative resources based on race, gender, orientation, and socioeconomic factors.
For too long, the “starving artist” has been part of our cultural lexicon. We want to flip the script and imagine creative people taking charge of their own careers and businesses: becoming the thriving artist.
Why is this important?
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Low-income young people are twice as likely to graduate college when they are engaged in the arts.
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Thinkers who can comprehend both art and business are responsible for some of the most successful companies today (from Airbnb to Apple)
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Creative people are much more likely to contribute to civic and social change.
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More thriving artists means better futures for young people, a stronger arts community, and a healthier, more innovative society.
Support us
Support Marko to foster a vibrant and inclusive community
Supporting Marko does much more than assisting one creative person at a time. Your support will be compounded, because we believe in the power of creative expression to cause profound transformational change in a person, a community and the broader society.
Marko intends to empower talented individuals to share their unique perspective, challenge existing norms and inspire hope. This seemingly small act, in turn, will cultivate a vibrant, inclusive and dynamic environment that encourages innovation and collaboration, ultimately uplifting entire communities. Indeed, we foresee that by nurturing creative talent that we are also enforcing fundamental values of empathy, diversity and resilience that will go a long way in healthing a divided world.
Now is the time to take action in whatever form you deem appropriate, such as by donating, volunteering or spreading the word, in an effort to help build a brighter and more culturally enriched future for all.
To find out how you can donate, and help support the next generation of creative minds, make a donation HERE.
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