Greater Lowell Community Foundation Trains 20 Artists to Lead Community Programs Through Arts Elevate

Redesigned Community Artist Training cohort spans nine communities and builds a regional pipeline of artists ready to partner with local nonprofits

 

Lowell, MA – Twenty artists from across Greater Lowell completed the Arts Elevate Community Artist Training Program on September 26, 2026, a fully redesigned, full-day immersive training from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) that prepares artists to lead programs with nonprofit organizations serving youth, veterans, and seniors.

Selected through a highly competitive application process, the cohort brings together emerging and mid-career artists working in visual arts, craft and ceramics, music, literary arts and spoken word, theater and dance, and multimedia. The artists now join the Arts Elevate Embedded Artist Directory, which is shared directly with area nonprofits seeking creative partners.

“These twenty artists walked in as individual creatives and walked out as a network,” said Jennifer Aradhya, founder of Arts Elevate and GLCF’s VP of Marketing, Programs and Strategy. “Our pilot showed what happens when an artist is embedded in a nonprofit that young people already trust. Now we have a cohort ready to carry that work into communities across our region, and nonprofits have a place to find them.”

By the Numbers

  • 20 artists trained
  • 9 of GLCF’s 21 communities represented: Lowell, Dracut, Acton, Bedford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Tyngsboro, and Westford
  • 62% of participants from underrepresented backgrounds, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and artists with disabilities
  • 6 artistic disciplines represented
  • 8 hours of immersive training across five sessions
  • 6 facilitators and 3 pilot artist panelists

Expert Facilitators

The day was led by area experts:

  • Dale Novella Anderson-Lee and Nathalie Barret-Mas from the Teaching Artist Project opened with Personal Artistic and Wellness Practices, exploring the research behind arts-based wellness and helping artists articulate their own relationship to the work.
  • Eryn Johnson and Cory DePina led CREATE, CONNECT, CATALYZE, a deep dive into Arts Elevate’s core framework for youth outcomes in creative expression, connection, and agency.
  • Amy Hupe facilitated Flow State: Optimization & Creativity, sharing practical techniques for building conditions where artists and participants are fully engaged.
  • Arts Elevate pilot artists Shoni Hallock-Martin, Andrea Wilson, and Tom Flint closed the day with a peer panel on lessons from their residencies with the program’s nonprofit partners. This panel was facilitated by Matthew Wolterding, Artist + Creative Director, Studio/HVY.

“What struck me most was the generosity in the room,” said Jes O’Hearn, Director of Arts Initiatives at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation. “Artists were trading ideas, contacts, and encouragement before lunch. That energy is exactly what nonprofits are looking for, and we’re excited to start making those connections.”

Each participant received a stipend for their participation, a GLCF Community Artist Certificate, an Arts Elevate Toolkit, and priority consideration for future Arts Elevate grant opportunities. Artists are also invited to join an optional ongoing cohort for peer learning and continued connection as Arts Elevate grows.

Grant Opportunity Now Open for Nonprofits

Applications are now open for Arts Elevate: Embedded Community Artist Grants, a new GLCF funding opportunity for nonprofits that serve youth in one or more of GLCF’s 21 communities. GLCF will award eight grants of $10,000 each to nonprofits partnering with a professional artist to create sustained, relationship-centered creative programming that supports youth wellness, emotional expression, and belonging. The cycle expands Arts Elevate from its four original pilot sites to eight additional organizations, and preference will be given to artists in the Arts Elevate Embedded Artist Directory, which now includes this cohort.

Key requirements:

  • Professional artist partner from GLCF’s 21 communities
  • Minimum of 8 hours per week on-site for at least 10 weeks
  • Dedicated space for program activities
  • Use of the Arts Elevate Embedded Community Artist Toolkit, a comprehensive implementation guide based on pilot learnings
  • Pre- and post-program evaluation using the Arts Elevate Outcomes Framework, measuring wellness, creative confidence, belonging, and emotional growth

Applications close Thursday, November 5, 2026. Full grant guidelines and the application are available at glcfoundation.org/arts-elevate. Questions should be directed to Jes O’Hearn, Director of Arts Initiatives, at jessica@glcfoundation.org.

Arts Elevate was developed with lead funding from the Barr Foundation through its Creative Commonwealth Initiative.

 

About Arts Elevate

Arts Elevate is GLCF’s comprehensive initiative to improve wellness and strengthen communities through creative engagement. The program includes embedded community artist residencies, Arts Equity Grants supporting nonprofit-artist collaborations, and professional development training for creatives. Learn more at glcfoundation.org/arts-elevate.

 

About Greater Lowell Community Foundation
Established in 1997, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) is a philanthropic organization comprised of more than 500 funds dedicated to improving the quality of life in 21 neighboring cities and towns. With financial assets of over $77 million, GLCF annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from Foundation staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $55 million to the Greater Lowell community.

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CAPTION 1: Twenty artists from across Greater Lowell completed the Arts Elevate Community Artist Training Program on September 26, 2026. This training included a panel (l-r) facilitated by Matthew Wolterding, Artist + Creative Director, Studio/HVY, pilot artists: Shoni Hallock-Martin, Tom Flint and Andrea Wilson, and Tom Flint.

CAPTION 2: Twenty artists from across Greater Lowell completed the Arts Elevate Community Artist Training Program on September 26, 2026.