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

WHO: This training opportunity is limited to 25 artists, artisans, makers and creative entrepreneurs of all artistic disciplines who live and work in Rural Tennessee Counties (see below).

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

2025 TRAINING CALENDAR

WEEK 1: Setting Goals & Making Connections
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.
WEEK 2: What’s Your Idea?
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. 
WEEK 3: Building a Compelling Proposition
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.
WEEK 4: Framing Your Concept
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.
WEEK 5: The Basics of Getting to Market
Thursday, February 20 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST
The essentials of building a marketing plan and promoting your work.
WEEK 6: Business, Not Hobbies
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.
WEEK 7: Getting Believers
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.

WEEK 8: Making The Ask
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.


APPLY: Applications are due Sunday, November 17 at 11:59 p.m. CST (Nov. 18 at 12:59 a.m. EST).

Apply for Periscope RAD

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:

Class of 2024
Andrea Henry

Bobby Curlee Jr.

Clover Honey

Crystal O’Neal

David Jaggers

Jenna Horne

Jerod Ra’Del Hollyfield

Julie Jack

Mary Ann Gilfillan

Mia Cataldo

Musa Suber

Reuben Smith

Sommer Pearson

Will Prater

Class of 2023
Aleshia “Dream” Garrett

Bill Long

Jan Burleson

J Denise Miller

Joshua Blankinship

Lisa Lane

LuAnn C. Graber

Michael Woods

Michelle O’Patick-Ollis

Susan Ernst

Class of 2022
Carla-Christina Contreras

Dina D’Argo

Jenalee Tirpak

Jodi Mitchell Hartman

Julie Barrett Cataldo

Karis Feezell

Lisa Engle

Marty McConnaughey

Mary Ann Morrison

Philippa- Alys (Pippa) Browne

Rebekah Riggs

Savanna Lyons

Shelley Wieting

Thomas M. Pituch II

Valerie Sloan

Paige Joyner


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: