Meet Moises Borges
Meet Moises
Based in Cleveland, Ohio for over two decades, Moises Borges is a gifted guitarist and vocalist born in Bahia, Brazil, He grew up experimenting with rhythms such as Bolero, Baião, Xote, Afoxé, Frevo, Forró, especially Samba and Bossa Nova which are basic to his performances. His soothing voice and charm make for a wonderful evening of entertainment for all lovers of Brazilian Jazz. Moises has performed in numerous countries, venues and events, he often performs at area outdoor festivals and Jazz Clubs on a regular basis. Just back in town from a few international tours Moises is preparing to release a new album of original work with renowned international guests such as Ken Peplowski, Diego Figueiredo, Chuchito Valdez, among others. Borges has become a prolific performer in the Northeast Ohio scene in the last decade. In 2023 Moises was nominated as Best Jazz Band for the Cleveland Music Awards; In 2022 he scored the second place at the Cleveland Power of Sport Summit-Sport Song Competition during the All Star Games; In 2020 he was a finalist of the BDOLive Song Festival, a nationwide original music contest scoring the fourth place. He had 3 nominations to the Brazilian International Press Awards in the last decade. Borges is a good storyteller, vivid and funny performer who plays mostly in the Samba and Bossa Nova tradition, interpreting his original songs besides classics by Jobim, Gilberto, Bosco and many others. Far away from his native Brazil, the music of his homeland is very much alive when he is on stage. As a local artist and founder of the ABCAI-Afro Brazilian Cultural Appreciation Initiative in 2018, Moises has made cultural presentations at universities and schools. He has presented photography exhibits, and has appeared on radio and TV shows. Lately he has done a series of Zoom panels through the Karamu House of Residency speaking about “Afro Brazilian Culture”, Capoeira, percussion, culinary, religion (Orishas), and includes a samba dance class. All the online video materials are available on his YouTube channel to serve all audiences for free.
Creative Impact Fund Project: ABCAI Afro Brazilian Cultural Appreciation Initiative
The Afro Brazilian Culture Appreciation Initiative is a series of interactive educational experiences aimed at spreading awareness and excitement about Brazilian culture to students. It envisions that the youth will discover music and dance as an empowering force in their lives, it also seeks to provide an alternative mode of learning, especially for children who may not respond to traditional modes of teaching and learning.
The event will be performed for a group of anywhere in between 150 to 300 students in elementary/secondary schools serving in the Red Lined Cleveland neighborhoods. It will feature 5 components: Live samba music with a 5-piece band demonstration; A workshop on samba dancing.
A Capoeira presentation and workshop (a Brazilian body movement technique with 5 practitioners); An Afro-Brazilian Drumline presentation and workshop; One Keynote Speaker who will speak on Brazilian culture at the event, discussing Brazil’s history, its African roots, current affairs, the arts, customs and more. The students will be requested to do research on Brazil’s history and geography by two weeks prior to our presentation, developing acknowledgement for discussion with the Keynote Speaker on the event’s day.
The 3.5 hour event will also include activities that engage in an interactive, playful manner, giving the students a first hand experience of Brazil’s unique cultural heritage. Attendees will have the opportunity to join event activities, playing instruments, dancing and learning Capoeira techniques. This interactive approach brings Brazil to Cleveland’s youth like never before.
2022-23 Arts Leadership Residency Cohort
“We are thrilled to launch this cohort to strengthen a talented and diverse group of artists through the Arts Leadership Residency, part of the Entrepreneur in Residence program powered by Huntington. These artists, nonprofits and creative businesses are already impactful in their work, but the coaching with an equity lens from Cleveland Leadership Center will help take their work to the next level. The program was designed to help artists, especially artists of color, break down barriers to success through access to business resources, networking and dedicated time. ” – Jeremy Johnson, president and CEO of Assembly for the Arts.
Partners
Assembly is proud to partner with Cleveland Leadership Center. Assembly received support from the Entrepreneur In Residence Powered by Huntington and The George Gund Foundation for the development of this program. The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation and the ArtsNEXT program of the Ohio Arts Council provided additional support to the Arts Leadership Residency.
Arts Leadership Residency
A DIFFERENT KIND OF RESIDENCY
Expanding on the model of traditional artist residencies, Assembly, in partnership with Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC), is offering 20-25 artists some headspace to plan for growth on their own terms. The Arts Leadership Residency offers a $1000 stipend and 6 dedicated learning sessions to address a self-defined business goal or objective. Participants will have access to entrepreneurial experts, mentorship from the CLC alumni network, and skillsets of the other artists and small creative businesses participating in the program.
In keeping with Assembly’s mission, the program will be delivered through a Racial Equity lens and provide management support, coaching, and tools to a cohort of 20-25 artists and small- to mid-sized creative businesses including both nonprofits and for-profits.
SCHEDULE
The Arts Leadership Residency includes half-day learning sessions, one Wednesday per month, from 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Breakfast will be provided. Sessions will be in-person. Location and information regarding safety precautions will be provided to participants in advance.
- June 15: Application Opens
- July 15: Application Deadline
- August 31: Selections Made, Applicants Notified
- Session Dates (8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
- Sept 28th: Opening Retreat
- Oct 19th: The Cleveland Ecosystem
- Nov 16th: Finance and Funding Landscape
- Dec 14th: Growing Customers and Donors
- Jan 18th: Equity and the Artistic Community
- Feb 15th: Taking Action
PARTNERS
Assembly is partnering with Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC) because of its track record of success in positioning leaders at all levels and stages of life to be catalysts for positive change and its longstanding commitment to ensuring racial equity is central to all its civic leadership programs. CLC provides collaborative leadership training, civic education and connections to leaders of all ages, empowering them to identify and take action on issues that resonate with them and positioning them to become change agents in the community.
The Arts Leadership Residency is part of the Entrepreneur in Residence program powered by Huntington, and is additionally supported by
The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, and
Meet the Arts Leaders of 2023
Applicant Info
Assembly for the Arts is committed to increasing equity in greater Cleveland’s arts and culture sector. We know that Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) often build creative careers without labeling themselves as artists or art businesses. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive program, and we are most interested in finding the best candidates for the cohort. That may include creatives that are not often considered artists or who operate a less conventional business model. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.
Residency participants were selected to ensure a wide range of artistic disciplines with a commitment to entrepreneurship and racial equity. The Residency Cohort includes 26 artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative businesses. Assembly’s fiscal sponsorship projects, and, in partnership with FRONT International, the artists selected for the Art Futures Fellowship received special invitations to participate in the inaugural program year.
Assembly for the Arts is partnering with the Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC) in the Arts Leadership Residency powered by Huntington through the Entrepreneur in Residence program.
Workbench Series Archive
View materials and watch videos of 2022 WorkBench Sessions.
Workbench Sessions | 2022 Schedule |
|||
Session |
Partner |
Date |
Link |
| Capitalization for Grantmakers and Nonprofits | GIA | January 11 | learn |
| Accessibility Opportunity: Arts + Culture Partnership + Shared Virtual Communities | Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities | January 20 | view recipients |
| Healthcare is not a Privilege | The MetroHealth System | March 10 | view resources |
| Fiscal Sponsorship 101 | April 14 | watch | |
| Business Basics for Creatives | SCORE Cleveland | May 4 | watch |
| Marketing Basics for Creatives | SCORE Cleveland | May 18 | watch |
| Community CORE: The Superhero Project | Lisa Kollins | July 21 | watch |
| Legal Help Needed: Better Call VLA and Legal Aid | Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts; Legal Aid | August 11 | learn more |
| A Conversation with W.A.G.E. | W.A.G.E. | November 3 | WAGENCY |
Context
In learning from Cleveland’s arts and culture communities, Assembly has seen the need for practical support, professional development and connections rise to the top as priorities for creative workers – from financial sustainability, accounting and health insurance to accessibility, equity practices and legal assistance.
Assembly worked in partnership with The George Gund Foundation and Grantmakers in the Arts to host an initial workshop focused on financial resiliency and capitalization for both grantmakers and nonprofit organizations.
With that and the observed priorities for creative workers, Assembly has devised Workbench Sessions: Useable Tools for Creative Workers
Who benefits?
The ultimate goal of this program is to boost the professional bandwidth and resiliency of our area creative workers and, in turn, grow the effectiveness of greater Cleveland’s arts and culture sector and creative industries. Stronger arts and culture means thriving residents, vibrant and safer neighborhoods, more effective education and community well-being.
Additionally, the financial impact of COVID on artists and arts groups has been well documented. But even prior to the pandemic, small- and medium-budget nonprofits lacked sufficient financial cushions to do long range planning, weather unexpected emergencies, or beef up for expansion. Assembly is well-positioned to provide support and resources to our creative communities that address these issues.
By hosting this series of programs, Assembly for the Arts will gain more insight into future programming and uncover areas of deep need for the arts community.
Financial Sustainability for Creatives
While the overall Workbench Sessions are intended to address the needs of the full creative community, a specialized, separate track of entrepreneurship coaching will be offered for small to mid-size organizations, artists and small creative businesses. Participation will prioritize BIPOC communities, BIPOC-led organizations, and organizations devoted to development equitable business practices. This work is supported by Huntington Bank’s Entrepreneur In Residence program.
Community Core Sessions
Assembly recognizes that there are hundreds of untapped experts in our arts communities who are living, working and waiting to share their knowledge. That’s why we’re excited to launch Workbench: Community Core. An extension of the Workbench Sessions, Community Core feature arts community presented topics and conversations. We see the value in creating a flexible, community-centered space and platform for our local artists, business owners, nonprofit professionals and entrepreneurs to Teach, Connect and Provide their knowledge to the public using the virtual webinar format.
Topics can be
- Knowledge-based; rooted in your expertise as part of the arts community and supportive to others
- Collaborative in style, seeking the feedback of the community
- Broad-reaching and beneficial for anyone in the arts community
Topics cannot be
- Partisan political presentations or lobbying efforts
- A sales pitch or event promotion
- A lecture on a personal viewpoint
Submit your idea now!
All Community Core presentations will be hosted on Assembly’s Zoom platform, supported by staff and promoted in our communications channels. Our regular Workbench Series will continue, with Community Core as a supplement depending on community interest and appetite.
Request Fiscal Sponsorship
ASSEMBLE FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Not all community projects can afford to become their own nonprofit. The process requires time and resources that could otherwise devoted to the project itself. What’s more, this work is often ignited by members of the community who see a problem and are willing to create a solution out of their own pockets. We assemble for the greater good of the people. Through fiscal sponsorship, we can open access to grant funds for those incredible mission-driven projects. Foundations and some donors often solely fund tax exempt organizations for many important reasons—501(c)3 requires fiscal oversight of a board, public record-keeping, proof of public good, and comes with restrictions to certain activities such as lobbying.
Fiscal sponsorship allows approved projects to come under Assembly’s fiscal umbrella so that you can get to work, and we can help with financial oversight. The relationships with funders, creative freedom, ownership of intellectual property and project coordination all remain with the project creators.
If you have started a project for the greater good and are interested in applying for fiscal sponsorship, take a look at the process below.
Process
Step 1: Inquiry
An artist, creative business or community group contacts Assembly to discuss the potential of fiscal sponsorship for a project. If the mission sounds aligned, they may be asked to fill in a survey as part of step 2.
Step 2: Written Request
The potential project will complete an application form to help Assembly assess capacity to implement the project and adhere to general grant and funding requirements. This includes a brief summary of the project, a projected budget and timeline.
Step 3: Staff review
Assembly staff reviews the written project (see new project criteria below). Projects are assessed based on the project criteria as well as alignment with Assembly’s mission as well as any potential risks that may be associated with sponsoring the project.
Step 4: Meeting
Assembly staff meets with project leadership to discuss the project and agreement in more detail. Assembly offers a high-level view of the arts and culture sector and may provide insights, suggest partners, help solidify a project or serve as a “thought partner” in other ways based on the project.
Step 5: Signed Agreement
Each party reviews and signs a written agreement. No funds will be distributed or requested for any new projects without a signed written agreement. The agreement requires the project entity to have a primary contact person, a physical address, and its own legal, tax and accounting identity (typically EIN or SSN).
[To open a bank account in which Assembly will distribute funds, the project entity will be asked for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number. To apply for an EIN, the project may fill out IRS Form SS-4 (https://tax-irs-ein.com/). Responsibility for adhering to the appropriate legal, accounting and tax obligations lies solely with the project entity.]
Project Funding Cycle
Individual Donations
Upon receiving a signed written agreement, Assembly develops a donation campaign page for the project to receive online, tax-deductible donations. The project entity will be given a discrete URL to distribute to potential donors.
Grant Applications
Project entities are responsible for researching and providing application material for all grant proposals. If Assembly is required to submit an application, the project entity is asked to provide evidence that it is poised for successfully acquiring the grant. This will help Assembly deploy resources where they will be most effective. Potential evidence may be:
- At least $500 procured or 25 distinct individual donations of $10 or more to the project through the donation page provided by Assembly
- The project has been previously funded or has been directly invited to apply by the funder
We simply ask for at least one week’s notice to apply for grant funding for existing sponsored projects and at least 3 weeks notice if you are requesting fiscal sponsorship with the intent to apply for a grant. The entity’s final materials must be provided at least 48 hours in advance of the application deadline.
Reporting / Disbursement
Once funds are available, Assembly can provide an initial disbursement to get things started based on the project needs. As those funds are spent down, we ask project entities to submit monthly financial reports with receipts. Assembly is required to maintain full discretion and control over donated funds. We use the receipts to account for all of the grant funds and as funds are spent down, Assembly continues to replenish project funds.
Exit Policy
We consider fiscal sponsorship an incubator. We love when projects are seen through to the end or even “graduate” to become their own tax-exempt nonprofit. The fiscal sponsorship relationship ends when the project is completed or when either group requests an exit in writing. The primary reason Assembly may end a relationship before then would be an activity that would jeopardize the organization’s nonprofit status such as backing a candidate for office or other restricted activities. Ultimately, continuing or discontinuing fiscal sponsorship is subject to the signed written agreement.
Criteria for New Projects
Assembly offers fiscal sponsorship for a limited number of projects that are aligned with its mission to convene, coordinate, and collaborate with everyone who lives and works in Greater Cleveland to strengthen and support those in the region who create, present, experience and appreciate all forms of arts and culture. In order to be considered for sponsorship, the project and must meet the following criteria.
Legal Criteria
- The project must fall within Assembly’s tax-exempt purpose including education, information gathering, supporting traditionally underserved communities, economic development and public policy.
- The project must be aligned with Assembly’s mission.
- The project may not conduct partisan political activities.
- The project may not conduct activities in support of or opposition to a candidate running for public office.
Project Criteria
In addition to the above legal requirements, Assembly will give priority to projects that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- The project is a collaboration of multiple organizations and requires a neutral intermediary to secure and manage financial contributions.
- Sponsorship would expand opportunities for artists of color or minority-owned arts businesses and nonprofits.
- The project expands accessibility to arts and culture for people with disabilities.
- The project exemplifies cross-sector partnerships of arts and culture with other community service sectors such as education, health, safety, neighborhoods, economic development, transportation, democracy, diplomacy and others.
- Project managers have relevant experience and/or include evidence that the project entity has the capacity to execute the proposed project.
Additional Services for Sponsored Projects
Promotion: Assembly lists all sponsored projects on its donation page and encourages donors to contribute to creative projects in our region. Additionally, Assembly launches a giving campaign once per year, typically in the Fall, promoting all sponsored projects.
Counsel: As staff capacity permits, Assembly offers specialized counsel for projects where expertise exists such as budgeting, funder relations, business strategy, potential partners, or other strategic support as needed.