Introducing the Proud Mary Atelier
A Fund to Unlock the Power of Creative Exploration in Craft
Giving artisan artists the time, space and creative freedom to expand their practice and explore new mediums.
Image: Tanana Madagascar artist, Rachel Kramer/CPALI
WHAT IF WE INVESTED IN ARTISANS AS ARTISTS?
Artists have long benefited from grants and residencies that provide the freedom to experiment, take creative risks, and develop new work without requiring a predetermined result. Artisans rarely have access to the same opportunity. Their livelihoods are often tied to production - making what is already known, ordered, or proven to sell.
The Atelier creates space for something different: not simply making more, but discovering what comes next.
How it works
01 Selection
IDENTIFY EXCEPTIONAL
POTENTIAL.
02 FUNDING
ALLOW CREATIVITY TO
DEVELOP.
Artisan artists are funded for up to 3 months to experiment, refine their practice, and create a cohesive body of original work.
03 ownership
GIVE ARTISAN ARTISTS FULL IP OWNERSHIP..
Artists retain full rights to the work they create and recieve support in understanding and protecting their creative ownership as their work reaches wider audiences.
04 TRANSLATION
CREATE SOURCES OF PASSIVE INCOME
Artisan artists and Proud Mary work together to select work for limited edition prints. The artisan earns royalties off the sale of each print. funded for up to 3 months to experiment, refine their practice, and create a cohesive body of original work.
THE FIRST RESIDENCY
We’re currently raising funds to support our first cohort of four Atelier artists. Applications will open once the fund closes.
FUND AN ARTIST
Support creative freedom
Individuals, foundations, and philanthropic partners can fund an Atelier residency, supporting an artist as they develop a new body of work. Your investment extends beyond the residency as select work is exhibited, brought to market, and translated into opportunities for ongoing royalties and income.
PARTNER WITH AN ARTIST
Bring artist-led craft into your creative work.
Interior designers, hospitality groups, and brands can sponsor an Atelier artist to develop a body of original work with the potential to inform a space, collection, or creative project. Proud Mary facilitates the partnership while protecting the artist’s creative ownership and ensuring the work remains rooted in their artistic vision.
SUPPORT THE ATELIER
There are many ways to invest in the creative futures of artisan artists.
Fund a residency. Share your expertise as a creative mentor. Commission original work. Provide gallery or retail space to introduce new audiences to the art.
Whether through funding, mentorship, or market access, your participation helps transform creative exploration into lasting economic opportunity for artisan artists
CREATE WITH THE ATELIER
Proud Mary Atelier supports artisan artists and collectives in exploring new creative possibilities, developing original works of art, and building opportunities for their work to reach new audiences and generate ongoing income through prints and licensing.
If you're interested in participating in a future residency, we'd love to hear from you. Introduce yourself, and we'll be in touch when applications open.
One Investment. LASTING RETURNS.
Your investment does more than fund a residency. It enables an artisan artist to create a body of original work that can be exhibited, sold, and licensed—generating new opportunities for income and ongoing royalties long after the residency ends.
OUR FISCAL SPONSOR
The Proud Mary Atelier is proud to partner with R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund as our fiscal sponsor, enabling philanthropic contributions to support artisan artists in developing original works of art. Through this partnership, donors can make tax-deductible contributions that directly support the creative exploration, artistic development, and economic opportunity at the heart of the Atelier.
R.I.S.E. Artisan Fund is an initiative of Friends of Tilonia, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.