Periscope: Rural Artist Development (RAD) is an annual, online training and mentorship opportunity uniquely designed to be a transformative experience empowering rural Tennessee artists with the entrepreneurial skills to help them thrive. Training sessions are led by expert business professionals and small group work is facilitated by top arts professionals from across Tennessee.
Periscope RAD artists receive:
- Training: Eight weeks of professional development training customized for working artists living in rural communities;
- Exchange: Artists share best practices with interdisciplinary peers through small group work;
- Mentorship: Each artist is paired one-on-one with a high-caliber mentor for six months;
- Exposure: Year-round opportunities to celebrate the work of alumni artists through the Arts & Business Council and Tennessee Arts Commission.
- Free Tuition: The program fee is waived thanks to the generous support of the Tennessee Arts Commission.
“This program was really great – I learned to value my work and that I was under-pricing my work. There is a lot of work that I feel that I need to do and this program helped me think outside the box.” – Periscope RAD artist, Class of 2024
WHAT: An intensive curriculum that will explore tools to organize, plan, and sustain a creative career, with the goal of developing an individualized business plan to prepare each artist to take their creative endeavors to the next level.
WHEN: Eight consecutive weeks from January to March 2024 followed by six months of one-on-one mentorship.
WHERE: Training sessions are held online via Zoom and course materials are provided through the Google Classroom online learning platform.
“I came into the Periscope RAD program with excitement and a desire to learn and grow. I expected it to be valuable for both personal and professional growth. I was not disappointed. The variety of instructors and content challenged me to explore and grow in areas of weakness. However, for me, the greatest benefits were the opportunities to make connections, to learn from the other participants in my cohort, and to lean on the support and encouragement my mentor offered.” – Periscope RAD artist, Class of 2023
Make a difference in Tennessee’s rural arts community. Become a Periscope RAD Mentor today!
2025 TRAINING CALENDAR
Thursday, January 23 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Get oriented to Periscope: Rural Artist Development, meet your fellow cohort members, and begin setting some goals.
Thursday, January 30 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Analyze your current career position and identify what you need to build the brightest future for your art.
Thursday, February 6 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Focus on building a compelling unique selling proposition (USP) by learning from audience evaluations.
Thursday, February 13 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Understanding your work, audience, and business structure to optimize the potential of your creative business.
Thursday, February 20 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
The essentials of building a marketing plan and promoting your work.
Thursday, February 27 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Walk through the basics of what generates revenue for you, pricing strategies, and long-term business planning.
Thursday, March 6 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
Discover the process of talking about your work in a way that will gain believers and make use of other people’s talents.
Thursday, March 13 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
Use what you’ve learned to refine your business plan and get comfortable pitching your creative endeavors to your audience.
Periscope RAD Pitch Dates
June 19 & August 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
APPLY: Applications are due Sunday, November 17 at 11:59 p.m. CST (Nov. 18 at 12:59 a.m. EST).
Know a rural artist interested in artist entrepreneurship? Nominate them by Monday, November 11 at Noon CST and we’ll invite them to apply.
Watch our recent Periscope RAD information session to learn more:
Periscope RAD offers a statewide network of alumni:
Tennesee Rural Counties: Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Marion, Marshall, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Scott, Sequatchie, Smith, Stewart, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, White
Periscope: Rural Artist Development is supported by funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and Tennessee Arts Commission offer special thanks to:
