Fractured Atlas to Launch Tour of Major Arts Hubs Across Southern U.S., 2/4-12

Aiming to both empower local artists and better address the challenges facing them, Fractured Atlas, the nation's largest arts service organization, will kick off a tour of major arts hubs across seven Southern states on February 4th in Jackson, Mississippi (All event information below).

Reaching a network of more than 250,000 artists in all 50 states, Fractured Atlas enables artists to work more effectively by helping them raise money, insure themselves and their work, manage their careers, grow their audience, find space to make and share their art, and more.

Over the course of seven days, Fractured Atlas will meet with theater, film, music, dance, craft, and visual artists in Jackson, Birmingham, Nashville, Louisville, Atlanta, Columbia (South Carolina), and Charlotte. In each city, Fractured Atlas will join with local members and partners to host workshops, seminars, panel discussions, and networking events where artists will have an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore challenges, and learn how Fractured Atlas services can help them work more effectively. In addition, events, such as gallery tours, film screenings, and live performances will provide an opportunity for the local community to experience artists and projects that benefit from Fractured Atlas programs.

Across the South, Fractured Atlas directly empowers hundreds of artists and arts groups with a range of services including health insurance, liability insurance, and free online courses. The Fractured Atlas Open Arts Network also gives local arts organizations, like the Alabama Dance Council and the Atlanta Coalition for the Performing Arts, the ability to provide their own members with access to many of the benefits and services that Fractured Atlas provides.

In addition, Fractured Atlas enables artists to solicit and receive grants and tax-deductible contributions that are normally available only to 501(c)(3) organizations through its fiscal sponsorship program, the largest program of its kind in the nation. Over the past year alone, more than 2,800 projects raised over $10 million, from Nashville's Alimentum Journal: The Literature of Food to Louisville's Chez Moi Art Gallery and Artists Community. Finally, The Atlanta Film Festival, Louisville's Circus Mojo, and Birmingham's Layman Group are among the many arts groups currently testing Fractured Atlas' Artful.ly, an innovative ticketing and fundraising system created for artists by artists.

"Local artists and arts organizations are at the forefront of developing creative solutions to the challenges of today's arts world," said Adam Huttler, founding executive director of Fractured Atlas. "The tour is an exciting opportunity to showcase the innovative work happening in cities across the country and share best practices for creating more dynamic and rich arts communities."

Here is the tour schedule of FREE public events being held by Fractured Atlas:

February 4: Jackson, MS
5PM: Panel Presentation on Resources For Artists
LOCATION: Mississippi Museum of Art (360 South Lamar St, Jackson, 39201)
RSVP PREFERRED: https://www.artful.ly/store/events/786

February 5: Birmingham, AL
6PM: Panel discussion sponsored by Space One Eleven and Alabama Dance Festival
Location:Space One Eleven (2409 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, 35203)
NO RSVP REQIURED

February 6: Nashville, TN
6:30PM: Artist meet and greet with music performance from Duette.
Location:Cumberland Gallery, 4107 Hillsboro Circle, Nashville, 37215
NO RSVP REQIURED

February 7: Louisville, KY
5:30pm:Local artist meet-and-greet and FA services presentation
Location: The Bard's Town Theatre (1801 Bardstown Road, Louisville, 40205)
NO RSVP REQUIRED

February 8: Atlanta, GA
5:30pm:Member meet and greet/happy hour and Fractured Atlas services presentation.
Location: Manuel's Tavern (602 N Highland Avenue NE, Atlanta)
NO RSVP REQUIRED

February 9: Columbia, SC
5:30pm: Artist meet and greet hosted by Nickelodeon
Location: Hunter Gatherer (900 Main St, Columbia)
NO RSVP REQUIRED

February 10: Charlotte, NC
5:30: Artist happy hour/meet and greet
Location: The Gallery at Packard Place, 222 South Church Street, Charlotte
NO RSVP REQUIRED

February 11: Charlotte, NC (JUST ADDED)
11:30am:Panel discussion on arts journalism in North Carolina
Location: Arts and Science Council, 227 West Trade Street, Suite 250, Charlotte
NO RSVP REQUIRED
Panelists include:
Lawrence Toppman, Arts Writer, The Charlotte Observer
Mark Kemp, Editor in Chief, Creative Loafing
Donald Devet, Director of Video, Charlotte Viewpoint
Amanda Pagliarini Howard, Editor, NFocus Charlotte
Marc Gustafson (moderator), Executive Director, Charlotte Viewpoint