The Indiana Arts Commission announced today that 34 Hoosier creative entrepreneurs will participate in the annual On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator. On-Ramp is a national award-winning program designed to educate artists and creative professionals in ten key areas of entrepreneurship and finance and to provide ongoing mentorship and development of arts-based small businesses.
Over the course of three days, participants will follow a curriculum designed and led by Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts. The programming will take place in Noblesville, Indiana, with Noblesville-based Nickel Plate Arts serving as cohost for On-Ramp. Nickel Plate Arts is also a Regional Arts Partner of the Indiana Arts Commission.
“We are excited to once again offer the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator in support of this critical economic sector,” said Indiana Arts Commission Executive Director Miah Michaelsen. “This year’s participants are a testament to the rich creative economy of the Hoosier State, and we are proud to play a role in accelerating their careers here in Indiana.”
Participating creative entrepreneurs include:
| Aja Essex (Bloomington) | Katie Lee (Mishawaka) |
| Austin Day (Indianapolis) | Kierra Ready (Indianapolis) |
| Bandy Russell (Morgantown) | Lavinia Hale (Greencastle) |
| Beatriz Vasquez (Indianapolis) | Leanne McGiveron (West Lafayette) |
| Cecily Terhune (Carmel) | Leslie Noel Jr. (Fort Wayne) |
| Celeste Lengerich (Fort Wayne) | Lyndy Bazile (Fort Wayne) |
| Charles Gillespie (Bloomington) | Marcie Couet (Franklin) |
| Christopher Box (Indianapolis) | Margaret Beeler (Michigan City) |
| Cynthia Frank (Anderson) | Matt Scutchfield (Plymouth) |
| Daniel Swartz (Poneto) | Michael Shannon (Indianapolis) |
| Emily Bennett (Terre Haute) | Ngozi Rogers (Fort Wayne) |
| Emily Franks (Indianapolis) | Norah Amstutz (South Bend) |
| Erica Coffing (Rochester) | Tammeron Jonesfrancis (Muncie) |
| Hilary Cannon Anderson (Bloomington) | Tania Wineglass (Indianapolis) |
| Joanne Roeder (Carmel) | Timothy Stephenson (Indianapolis) |
| Jonathan Southern (Indianapolis) | Tracy Burns (Connersville) |
| Kathaleen L Wessel (Anderson) | Victoria Williams Steen (Indianapolis) |
At the conclusion of the three-day training, the entrepreneurs will submit proposals for a $2,000 fellowship to directly apply course lessons to their creative career and small business development. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of mentor creative entrepreneurs who will provide feedback based upon their individual and collective expertise.
