The Flywheel Incubator is program of the Arts & Business Council of Sacramento that welcomes, connects, and nurtures creative talent to provide aspiring creative start-ups, non-profits, and artists a pathway to sustainability and success. For 20+ years the Sacramento Arts and Business Council has connected artists, non-profits and creative companies to professional pro-bono services through its Bu
siness Volunteers for the Arts program. The idea was to borrow strategies from Silicon Valley and other successful economic centers, and start form an incubator. Instead of offering services for many one-off projects for dozens of organizations, it would instead cultivate a select group of the region's most promising creative talent and construct a year-long program to deliver business training, exposure, and a supportive community in order to launch 10 new ventures to the next level. FLYWHEEL, launched in June 2012, has emerged as a way to identify Sacramento as place that welcomes, connects, and nurtures creative talent and to provide aspiring creative start-ups, non-profits, and artists a pathway to sustainability and success. Our inagural class is composed of some of Sacramento's most notable talents and encompasses a wide range of disciplines and industries. The 2012 Flywheel residents:
Chalk it UP - One of the region's most beloved festivals, Chalk it Up brings artists together for an annual festival Labor Day weekend in Fremont Park and aspires to offer artists opportunities year-round. www.chalkitup.org
Eben 07 - Created by Eben Burgoon, Eben 07 is a web-comic that illustrates the travails of Eben, part of a covert clean-up crew that follows around secret bond-style agents and the messes they leave behind. www.eben07.com
Juniper James - Founded by style-maven Kari Shipman, Juniper James is a style blog and serves as a catalyst for local independent retailers and designers to connect and offer sustainable shopping options to Sacramento consumers. http://juniperjames.wordpress.com
Lacin/Cristophel Mural & Design - Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Cristophel's murals have transformed many spaces around the region, including the new water tank in Davis, and their company continues to create warm environments, eye-catching facades, and art landmarks. www.lcmuralandesign.com
New Helvetia Theatre - Founded by Connor Mickiewicz in 2009, NHT has offered cutting-edge musical theater experiences to the Sacramento region. They just moved into their first permanent space on R Street, and have expanded into helping artists develop new works with the region's first New Works Festival! www.newhelvetia.org
Project4trees - Project4Trees is a collaborative featuring the talents of
Lin Luna * Flotivation * Tai Bo * Machona * A+Game. Project4Trees’ vision is to invigorate hip-hop with fresh, intelligent, creative music that speaks to each individual’s experiences. https://www.facebook.com/Project4Trees
Q Foundation/Skillshare - Founded by Mat Cusick the Q Foundation offers fellowships to local artists who then run a creative camp for middle-schoolers to expand on our conceptions of what art and creativity mean. Skillshare is an online platform for creative professionals to teach classes and share their passions with their communities. www.q-arts.org
Sol Collective - Sol Collective is a community based partnership whose unique mission is to use art, education, and technology as a didactic medium to create mobilization and community empowerment. www.solcollective.org
Sugar Skull Art - Created by local artist Rob-O, Sugar Skull Art takes the popular latin medium used to celebrate the dead and expands on it in miraculous and beautiful ways. Rob-O Also runs an interactive arts program for adults and children to decorate mini-skulls that takes place alongside exhibitions of his work. www.ilovesugarskulls.com
Tapigami - To Danny Scheible, every material is a possibility for creativity and inspiration. Using tape and other everyday materials, Tapigami is an art movement that helps people unlock their own creative potential through installations and creative products. Dannys transfoms how we perceive and interact with our environments.
