The Future of Creative Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship
March 13, 2025
Catherine T. Morris, Director of the Arts & Creativity Program at the Boston Foundation, welcomed the audience to the Edgerley Center for Civic Leadership at TBF on Thursday, March 14. Morris set the stage by emphasizing that art is not just about performance but about transformation and action. She urged attendees to rethink how the creative workforce is valued. “This is the time to think and act differently and responsibly… to build circular tables that are steeped in shared leadership, resources, applied knowledge, intentional partnerships, and collective impact.”
Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation, then took the stage, sharing that Boston’s creative sector contributes $2 billion annually and supports 30,000 jobs. However, he stated that rising living costs, displacement, and the growing impact of AI on intellectual property pose serious threats to artists' livelihoods. Pelton stressed that the creative economy cannot thrive under current conditions and that systemic action is required.
Moderating the discussion, Emily Ruddock, Executive Director of MassCreative, framed the conversation by acknowledging COVID-19 as a major turning point for the creative sector. She emphasized that while identifying challenges is important, the focus must be on actionable solutions.
Ruddock welcomed the panelists to the stage: Nadine Goellner, Managing Director, Artists at Work; Rochelle Riley, Director of Arts and Culture, City of Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship; Marinell Rousmaniere, President and CEO, EdVestors; Margo Saulnier, Creative Strategist, New Bedford Economic Development Council; and Anna Yu, Executive Director, Artists for Humanity.
The panel explored the evolving perception of artists in society, particularly influenced by the pandemic. Despite the hardships, the pandemic made the value of artists more visible, as people turned to art for comfort and connection.
"When we were all isolated, we turned to art,” Goellner recalled.
Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation, then took the stage, sharing that Boston’s creative sector contributes $2 billion annually and supports 30,000 jobs. However, he stated that rising living costs, displacement, and the growing impact of AI on intellectual property pose serious threats to artists' livelihoods. Pelton stressed that the creative economy cannot thrive under current conditions and that systemic action is required.
Moderating the discussion, Emily Ruddock, Executive Director of MassCreative, framed the conversation by acknowledging COVID-19 as a major turning point for the creative sector. She emphasized that while identifying challenges is important, the focus must be on actionable solutions.
Ruddock welcomed the panelists to the stage: Nadine Goellner, Managing Director, Artists at Work; Rochelle Riley, Director of Arts and Culture, City of Detroit Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship; Marinell Rousmaniere, President and CEO, EdVestors; Margo Saulnier, Creative Strategist, New Bedford Economic Development Council; and Anna Yu, Executive Director, Artists for Humanity.
The panel explored the evolving perception of artists in society, particularly influenced by the pandemic. Despite the hardships, the pandemic made the value of artists more visible, as people turned to art for comfort and connection.
"When we were all isolated, we turned to art,” Goellner recalled.
Agenda
Welcome
Catherine T. Morris, Director, Arts & Creativity Program, The Boston Foundation
Opening Remarks
M. Lee Pelton, President & CEO, The Boston Foundation
Panel Discussion
Nadine Goellner, Managing Director, Artists at Work
Rochelle Riley, Director, Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship, City of Detroit
Marinell Rousmaniere, President & CEO, EdVestors
Emily Ruddock, Executive Director, MassCreative (moderator)
Margo Saulnier, Creative Strategist, New Bedford Economic Development Council
Anna Yu, Executive Director, Artists for Humanity
Closing Remarks
Catherine T. Morris, Director, Arts & Creativity Program, The Boston Foundation
Artists at Work was launched in 2020 in response to these struggles, providing artists with a living wage, health care, and community support. Goellner and her colleagues quickly realized that investing in artists encouraged them to reinvest in their communities, documenting struggles and uplifting those working to repair harms. “We were seeing all the artists we know and love lose their livelihoods and their ability to make work, make a living. And we wanted to be part of the conversational change around the value of artists' work, particularly around the value of artists' work to the health of our communities. A healthy, thriving art scene is key to the health of our communities.”
Riley experienced a similar shift in Detroit. “For the first time, they realized that this is not some hobby or group of hobbyists who are over here doing something. These people are saving our lives.”
Artists in Riley’s community stepped up in powerful ways, creating music about resilience, painting portraits of frontline workers, and expressing grief alongside hope. Despite their contributions, they received little in return.
The panel discussed the ongoing lack of sustainability in creative careers, pointing to a longstanding misconception about the value of artists.
“Saying you're an artist is a radical act. People are like, what is that? That's not a thing. That's a hobby. They're not taken seriously. And I think that legitimizing what artists do by supporting that work with a salary, treating them as workers, and understanding what that work is an important pain point just in the public perception,” Goellner said.
Artists are often expected to work for free under the guise of “exposure.” The panel agreed that providing artists with livable wages should not be a radical idea.
Riley highlighted that artists are frequently pushed out of the very communities they help to thrive due to rising rents, demonstrating the need for affordable housing and workspaces for artists.
Yu noted that young artists lack clear career pathways. Unlike STEM fields, the arts do not have structured internship or early college opportunities. “There are really not a lot of people pioneering a lot of pathways that are early college, for instance,” Yu said.
Rousmaniere pointed out that while traditional jobs offer 401(k)s, health insurance, and other benefits, artists often receive none of these. In fact, short-term contracts can sometimes cause them to lose access to Medicaid or housing assistance.
The emergence of AI poses another challenge to artists' livelihoods. AI-generated art floods search engines and social media, raising concerns about artist recognition and compensation.
Riley stressed that AI is here to stay and that artists must be involved in shaping the policies to protect their work. “My concern with it, of course, is about artists' rights and their ability to make money from their work. And I do think that we are often playing catch-up when it comes to policy that puts in place protections.… I hope that we can get on the front end of it.”
Yu offered a more optimistic perspective, saying she views AI as a tool. “Anyone who's experimented with AI and tried different prompts knows the result of your prompt is only as good as the creative thinking you've put into it.”
With boundless threats to artists’ careers and ability to keep creating, the panelists advocated for change and for more value to be placed on artists' work.
“Investing in artists and making sure that they can thrive in your community is going to keep your community healthy and thriving economically,” Goellner said. “We need to honor the work that artists do with money.”
“We've seen artists advocate for climate resiliency in their communities and really help uplift voices, in this beautiful storytelling way that they do, with so much power,” Yu said. “We think of artists as problem solvers and key to these issues, and so we should stand behind, investing in their labor and the support that they need to do that work.”
Riley experienced a similar shift in Detroit. “For the first time, they realized that this is not some hobby or group of hobbyists who are over here doing something. These people are saving our lives.”
Artists in Riley’s community stepped up in powerful ways, creating music about resilience, painting portraits of frontline workers, and expressing grief alongside hope. Despite their contributions, they received little in return.
The panel discussed the ongoing lack of sustainability in creative careers, pointing to a longstanding misconception about the value of artists.
“Saying you're an artist is a radical act. People are like, what is that? That's not a thing. That's a hobby. They're not taken seriously. And I think that legitimizing what artists do by supporting that work with a salary, treating them as workers, and understanding what that work is an important pain point just in the public perception,” Goellner said.
Artists are often expected to work for free under the guise of “exposure.” The panel agreed that providing artists with livable wages should not be a radical idea.
Riley highlighted that artists are frequently pushed out of the very communities they help to thrive due to rising rents, demonstrating the need for affordable housing and workspaces for artists.
Yu noted that young artists lack clear career pathways. Unlike STEM fields, the arts do not have structured internship or early college opportunities. “There are really not a lot of people pioneering a lot of pathways that are early college, for instance,” Yu said.
Rousmaniere pointed out that while traditional jobs offer 401(k)s, health insurance, and other benefits, artists often receive none of these. In fact, short-term contracts can sometimes cause them to lose access to Medicaid or housing assistance.
The emergence of AI poses another challenge to artists' livelihoods. AI-generated art floods search engines and social media, raising concerns about artist recognition and compensation.
Riley stressed that AI is here to stay and that artists must be involved in shaping the policies to protect their work. “My concern with it, of course, is about artists' rights and their ability to make money from their work. And I do think that we are often playing catch-up when it comes to policy that puts in place protections.… I hope that we can get on the front end of it.”
Yu offered a more optimistic perspective, saying she views AI as a tool. “Anyone who's experimented with AI and tried different prompts knows the result of your prompt is only as good as the creative thinking you've put into it.”
With boundless threats to artists’ careers and ability to keep creating, the panelists advocated for change and for more value to be placed on artists' work.
“Investing in artists and making sure that they can thrive in your community is going to keep your community healthy and thriving economically,” Goellner said. “We need to honor the work that artists do with money.”
“We've seen artists advocate for climate resiliency in their communities and really help uplift voices, in this beautiful storytelling way that they do, with so much power,” Yu said. “We think of artists as problem solvers and key to these issues, and so we should stand behind, investing in their labor and the support that they need to do that work.”