The Accelerator
Learn the business side of creative work in our 8-week arts business program.
“HELPED ME REDIRECT MY CREATIVE SPIRIT TOWARDS ENTREPRENEURSHIP”
“The Accelerator program was rigorous yet fun. It helped me redirect my creative spirit towards entrepreneurship. Not only was I able to be in the company of a cohort of talented artists—from curators, to dancers, to musicians—but all of the facilitators presented highly informative and engaging content. I’ve kept in touch with my cohort and have even collaborated on two shows.”
2021 individual workshops
We’re breaking down our Spring 2021 Accelerator program into 6 individual workshops + a networking session. Join us for one or multiple workshops and learn the skills you need to improve, grow, and accelerate your arts business.
NOTE: This series is underwritten by San Francisco Grants for the Arts and intended for arts organizations and fiscally sponsored projects based in San Francisco. It is not intended for individual artists.
Accelerate Your Arts Business: Audience Development 101
Accelerate Your Arts Business: Budgeting Beyond the Basics
Accelerate Your Arts Business: Beyond the Like
Accelerate Your Arts Business: Path to Payment
World Cafe: Networking Session
Winter 2020 Program
Pedagogy
Learn the business side of creative work through interactive seminars and deep-dive labs centered around the Business Model Canvas. You will work in cohort sessions and small group coaching circles, as well as generate short videos of your solutions between sessions. All of these approaches will help you to develop various aspects of business modeling for an arts practice, project, or venture.
Cost
- $300 for Individuals and Organizations (if applying as an organization, a max of 3 people can participate)
- $250 for Intersection Members (if applying as an organization, a max of 3 people can participate)
- TIP: Individual artists in California may be eligible to apply for CCI’s Quick Grant to cover the cost of this course. Applications due on the 15th every month.
What You Get
- Adaptable business model canvas for your art practice, project, or venture
- Confidence and clarity on your vision, mission, values, and goals
- A Certificate of Completion
- Network of peers in your learning cohort
Format
Five seminars & three labs for a total of 8 sessions. All sessions take place virtually over Zoom.
Contact
Reach out to Amy Kweskin, Director of Professional Development, at amy@theintersection.org with questions.
Winter 2020 Schedule
Seminar 1: Get Focused
THU, OCT 22, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Presenters: Amy Kweskin and Steven Crane
- Introduction to Business Model Canvas (BMC)
- Lifestages on the Arts Business/Career Lifecycle
- Vision Impact Goal + Values = Mission
- Telling your story – “current = as is” and “future = to be”
- Using Mural and creating videos
- HOMEWORK: Prepare your “as is” and “to be” BMC story (video)
Lab 1
THU, OCT 29, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Coaches: Amy Kweskin, Steven Crane, Randy Rollison
- Breakout rooms: Share your BMC “as is” and “to be” BMC story video
Seminar 2: Get Grounded
THU, NOV 5, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Presenter: Anthem Salgado
- Customer Segments with Pains/Gains Empathy Map
- Value Proposition
- HOMEWORK: Prepare BMC Customer Segments & Value Proposition (video)
Lab 2
THU, NOV 12, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Coaches: Anthem Salgado, Amy Kweskin, Steven Crane, Randy Rollison
- Breakout rooms: Share your Customer Segments & Value Proposition video
Seminar 3: Get Connected
THU, NOV 19, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Presenter: Pavan Singh
- Customer Relationships & Channels
- Product, program, and service offerings
- 3 Keys: Partners, Resources & Activities
- HOMEWORK: Prepare product, program, and service offerings with BMC: Customer Relationships, Channels, 3 Keys (video)
Lab 3
THU, DEC 3, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Coaches: Pavan Singh, Anthem Salgado, Amy Kweskin, Steven Crane, Randy Rollison
- Breakout Rooms: share product, program and service offerings with BMC: Customer Relationships, Channels, 3 Keys (video)
Seminar 4: Get Funded
THU, DEC 10, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Presenters: Yesenia Sanchez and Steven Crane
- Revenue Streams
- Cost Structure
- HOMEWORK: BMC: Prepare final video presentation story
Seminar 5: Get Started
THU, DEC 17, 2020, 9-11AM PST
Facilitator: Amy Kweskin
- Final video presentation stories
Meet the Instructors

Yesenia Sanchez

Anthem Salgado

Randy-Rollison

Amy Kweskin

Steven Crane

Pavan Singh
Meet the Alumni
Check out the people and organizations that have invested in their growth:
2019 Cohort
SF Urban Film Fest
Collective Action Studio
Cathy Lu
Anna Lisa Escobedo
The Collective (The Cllctve)
Eva Piontkowski
Priya Narayana
The Drawing Room SF
Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies
Kurt Ribak
Daniel Neville
Rapid Descent
ReVolt Labs
TECHNO-TAMALADAS
Vibrant Productions
Write Now! SF Bay
Rosalie Cavallaro
XiDao
Patrick Malabuyo
Aliencranberry Arts
Marcos Mion
Leah King & Juan Carlos Rodriguez Rivera
ANdrew ALBIN
2018 Cohort
Klanghaus
Maddy Clifford
Celeste Chan
Matatu
Jazz Education Ensemble
Bay Area Dance Collective
The Walk Discourse
2017 Cohort
Antic in a Drain
Chinese Whispers
Colored Ink/Lyrical Opposition
Embodiment Project
Emerging Arts Professionals
Jazz in the Neighborhood
Strider Patton
Quinan Street Project
SF Zine Fest
3rd Space Lab Collective
2016 Cohort
Irish American Crossroads Festival
Mi Cultura
Arts Ed Matters
Eugenie Chan Theatre Projects
Alphabet Rockers
Awesome Orchestra Collective
Mugwumpin
Real Time & Space
Interested in bringing our Accelerator
to your community?
Our Accelerator has been replicated at California College of the Arts (CCA), Mills College, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, and Arts Council Santa Cruz County.
Email Amy Kweskin, Director of Professional Development, at amy@theintersection.org with ideas.
“Pushed my practice to the next level”
“The Arts Accelerator gave me the courage I needed to embrace business knowledge as a vehicle that can elevate, strengthen and push my practice to the next level. I learned alongside other visionary and incredibly talented artists, many of whom I remain in contact with. Intersection offers a support setting that understands and focuses on artist’s needs.”