CANNONBALL

Cannonball is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3), arts organization dedicated to supporting artists, innovative forms of cultural production, and education to advance critical discourse and understanding of contemporary art practice. Based in downtown Miami, Florida, Cannonball’s artist-centric values are mirrored in its experimental programs, resources, and opportunities that respond to the needs of today’s artists and reflect our efforts to better understand the nuances and textures of South Florida.

Our core initiatives include:

Residency Program, open to local, national, and international artists, curators, and other cultural producers, the live/work Residency Program offers dedicated time, space, resources, and technical/administrative support to conduct research, produce new work, and engage the community about issues at stake in this region

research.art.dialogue (r.a.d), a public alternative school providing university-level courses and intensive seminars unpacking the ideas, forms, and contexts of cultural production in the 21st century

LegalLink, serves the legal needs of Florida artists and small arts organizations with exceptional legal information, advice, and referrals necessary to protect themselves and their work

WaveMaker Grants, delivers individual grants to artists in Miami-Dade County to propel unconventional art forms and artist-initiated projects that skew away from traditional funding sources and resist current demands of the marketplace

Commissions, available to artists-in-residence at Cannonball, this program assists in the production, presentation, and documentation of significant new works in under-represented and non-commercial forms, such as performances, urban and ecological interventions, and community-engaged projects

Founded as LegalArt in 2003 by Carolina Jayaram and Lara O’Neil, our organization started with the urgency to support emerging artists by providing free legal services and professional development programs. These initiatives, which were co-presented throughout Miami with partner organizations, were created expressly to professionalize, sustain, and advance artists’ careers. In 2010, we transitioned from a nomadic arts organization into our first physical home—a 1920s warehouse on the northern edge of downtown Miami. The space was designed and outfitted to accommodate the organization’s new Residency Program, the first formal live/work residency program in the city. As programming evolved to better address the ever-changing needs of the local arts community, the board and staff decided to re-imagine and re-brand the organization. In 2012, we transformed into Cannonball, and since we have become a re-granting organization, founded a public alternative school, and formalized a commissions program for participants in the Residency Program.

OUR LIFEGUARDS

Cannonball is grateful for the trust, encouragement, and support of these major funders:  The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Florida State Department of Cultural Affairs, Harpo Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.