What tools does ABM Institute have to help?:

The Objective of ArtBusinessMentor.com:

Our focus is on the individual artist's personal success. The goal of ArtBusinessMentor.com is to:

1. Show how to co-opt existing institutions to create "value" for the artist.
2. Utilize accepted business systems and practices designed to get you through the rough spots.
3. And finally, cementing your artistic value by giving back to the community.

"The goal of ABM Institute is to encourage artistic independence through Knowledge and Empowerment. To enable artist and organizations the freedom to change their minds and practices to suit a particular need and to leave the art word a better place than they found it."

Here at ABM Institute, ours is very much an educational endeavor. The system was developed by its founder, the artist Gary Crook. Gary Crook is very much an activist artist himself and has had the acquaintances of many artists in his professional arts career. One common complaint of these artists has been the desire to change their style, communicate with other artists and misconceptions of arts business practices (for example, what really constitutes a tax write off?). HOWEVER, by far the biggest and most common complaint is an artist or organizations desire NOT to have to "starve" for the sake of their vision or compromise their integrity in order to make a buck.