The WPA-inspired, living wage program for artists offering much needed stability and support

Arts From The Streets gives artists living with homelessness a path to economic mobility and housing stability by offering ways to make and sell their art. An annual show can bring in $100,000 in sales, 95% of which goes to the artists. The organization provides studio space, online marketing, and other sales channels. It's one of three programs or communities serving artists who are houseless profiled in this story. The others are MudGirls, an Atlantic City ceramic arts studio, and the thriving arts culture in Los Angeles' Skid Row neighborhood, which focuses on personal growth more than income.

The Soomaal House of Art is giving Somali artists in Minnesota’s Twin Cities a community to join and easy access to a place to show their work.

Cultivating a sustainable art scene that allows creatives to make a living requires a delicate balance of various factors. Fellowships are vital for providing the time and space that artists need to develop their craft. Cultural institutions such as museums, galleries, and even art fairs are also key for providing a platform through which artists can exhibit their work. Art buyers can also be supported through loan initiatives to spur investment, especially for buyers who support local artists. Lastly, creative placemaking merges art and culture with community planning to meet the specific needs of an area.

Renewing distressed economies can be done through reinvesting in arts and culture. By building successful partnerships with rural Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like the Woodlands Community Lenders (WCL), the town of Thomas, West Virginia, has found a new identity as a hub of arts and culture after the collapse of its coal-based economy.

One small town in Colorado has spurred economic development by implementing a strategy that focused on the revitalization of creative industries. As a result, Trinidad, CO, has seen a twofold increase in lodging tax income and restaurant sales tax as well as a drastic increase in profits from commercial building permits. Local artists recognized the potential Trindad could have as a creative district and brought the plan to city officials who were eventually able to take advantage of state programs and collaborate with a nonprofit to generate creative business, revitalizing the local economy as a result.

Point-of-sale-based agency banking helps make digital finance more accessible and inclusive, allowing small businesses to act as banking agents, offering services like cash withdrawals and bill payments through fintech platforms. This integration has been particularly impactful in regions without bank branches. The integration of fintech throughout Nigeria has not only led to more autonomy in personal finance but has also created significant employment opportunities.

Fab Youth Philly’s Play Captains program hires teens in the summer to lead play groups on multiple streets throughout the city, leading games and activities like science experiments and storytime. Since 2017, the group has supported over 500 teens, providing many of them with their first jobs. Data shows that participating in the program leads to more on-time high school graduations, better work habits, reduced summer slide and improved employability and family finances.

Nigeria's digital payment ecosystem, particularly Point of Sale (POS) operations, has emerged as an entrepreneurial solution to help young people find sustainable employment and income to support themselves and their families. With the POS systems, people can establish small hubs for cash withdrawals, bill payments and other financial services. With the help of these new ventures, youth unemployment has dropped from 53.4% to 6.5% over a four-year period.

Targeted plumbing training programs are providing women with life-changing skills, independence, and career opportunities. Led by initiatives such as the German government aid agency GIZ and the Wise Women Plumbers Cooperative, hundreds of women have become licensed plumbers, overcoming societal stigma to gain economic empowerment, improve local water management, and shift perceptions around women's roles.

The nonprofit GiveDirectly provides refugees with cash to help them sustain themselves, focusing on those living in cities, as they’re less likely to receive the same assistance as humanitarian camps do. Nearly 1,200 people were given $925 to spend however they wanted — some opening bank accounts, others starting businesses — and reported they were able to nearly double their monthly income and after six months, 88% of recipients were earning more money than ever before.