Spirits and Logistics How Grantmakers, Universities, and Arts Institutions Start Working with the BIPOC-Led Cooperative Movement to Build the Future of Art Education

A scan of the arts and culture landscape in 2021 reveals
a growing demand for education and training about
cooperative forms of enterprise. Cooperatives (or co-ops) are democratic enterprises that are designed to meet people’s economic and social needs.In cooperatives, creatives can learn technical artistic skills alongside racially just and solidarity business practices by following internationally recognized principles. BIPOC-led co-ops have been proven to offer low-cost
models for learning, high-quality jobs, and to build intergenerational wealth.
The cooperative and art sectors are uniquely positioned to advance education for creatives about cooperative enterprises. To succeed, grantmakers and leaders in higher education, the public sector, arts institutions,
and Co-op Developers must support collaboration across sectors and follow the lead of BIPOC creatives who are innovating the co-op model now. Nonprofits and publicsector agencies must reimagine grants and investments beyond the 501c3.