Emerge was built for artists who are already making work, and ready to stop figuring it out alone.

• Are actively creating and want to generate more consistent income

• Are ready to be held accountable and take action

• Have the capacity to commit time and energy to growth

• Are open to feedback, structure, and change

Emerge probably isn't your moment yet if you:

• Are just beginning your art practice and are not selling work

• Are not currently able to commit time consistently

• Are in a period of major personal instability or crisis

The Framework

A focused 3-month business foundation weekly virtual sessions, workbook + video lessons, accountability support, and guided tools covering mindset, time, pricing, cash flow, revenue streams, marketing, branding, and business systems.

A Cohort Built Around You

Artists are paired with accountability partners and pod groups based on similar goals, career stage, and business direction, so you’re surrounded by people building something that actually looks like what you’re building.

Expert Support + 1:1 Consulting

After the Framework, you move into targeted expert support based on what your career needs most: either Branding Bootcamp or Business Start-Up.

From there, 1:1 consulting helps you solve the actual business challenges in front of you.

This is not coaching from the sidelines. It is real-time problem solving applied directly to your creative business.

The Opportunity Period

This is where Emerge moves from learning into real-world action.

From June through October, you’ll actively pursue opportunities aligned with the career you’ve been building. Included opportunity support: Participate in West Side Creative Market with market fees covered, or receive up to $1,000 toward an approved professional opportunity.

As those opportunities unfold, you’ll have 1:1 consulting with Leah to work through real decisions and roadblocks as they happen. You don’t just leave Emerge with a plan. You spend months putting that plan into practice with strategic support when real-world challenges arise.

Step 1: Submit Your Application
Complete the application below. This should take approximately 10–15 minutes.

Step 2: Application Review
Applications are reviewed based on:

• Quality and viability of work

• Current traction and effort

• Readiness to grow and take action (agency)

• Overall fit for the cohort

Step 3: Interview
Some applicants may be invited to a short interview to ensure alignment.

Step 4: Acceptance - By October 15, 2026

Selected artists will receive an invitation to join Emerge, along with next steps for enrollment and payment.

Application Deadline: October 12, 2026

Final Decisions Sent: October 15, 2026

Onboarding + Orientation: First week of December 2026
Scheduled based on cohort availability. During orientation, you will meet the cohort, complete onboarding, receive your pre-work, and have your professional headshot taken.

Framework Begins: January 4, 2027
Lessons begin January 4, with the first virtual cohort meeting on January 6.

In-Person Framework Meetings

Attendance is required. Final dates will be set during orientation.

• Structure Meeting: First week of February

• Marketing Meeting: First week of March

• Integration Meeting: First week of April

Expert Support

April–May 2027

Based on your selected track (Branding Bootcamp or Business Start-Up) you will receive focused expert services and continued learning designed to strengthen the next stage of your creative career.

Opportunity Period

June–October 2027

This is where you begin applying what you have learned in real-world settings.

Participation in West Side Creative Market is included, with market dates selected based on your individual goals. Artists who choose not to participate in Creative Market may submit another professional opportunity for approval and support.

1:1 Consulting with Leah

June–October 2027

During the Opportunity Period, you will receive 2–3 one-hour 1:1 consulting sessions based on your individual needs.

These sessions are designed for real-time problem solving around active opportunities, business decisions, pricing, partnerships, systems, strategy, and other challenges that arise as you put your plan into practice.

Final Activation + Program Completion

November–December 2027

The year concludes with final reflection, impact measurement, the Emerge retreat, and development of your next-stage plan before transitioning into the Emerge alumni community.

Emerge is a year-long program, but the time commitment changes throughout the year.

During the January through March Framework, plan for approximately 4 to 6 hours per week. This includes:

• Weekly 1-hour virtual meetings

• Monthly 2-hour in-person meetings

• Video lessons, workbook exercises, and digital tools

• Check-ins with your accountability partner or pod

• Time to apply what you are learning to your own creative career

From April through October, the weekly commitment is lighter and more individualized as you move into Expert Support, the Opportunity Period, and 1:1 consulting.

November and December focus on reflection, the final retreat, program completion, and your next-stage plan.

The artists who benefit most from Emerge treat the program as a standing commitment to their creative career, not something they fit in only when there is extra time.

The full program investment is $2,500.

Is that a lot? Yes. And it's intentional. You're not buying access to a course library or a stack of pre-recorded videos. You're getting a year of real human support, a cohort of artists doing the work alongside you, and direct access to experts when you actually need them (not to mention 1:1 consulting!). Humans are expensive, and we think what sets Emerge apart from Chat GPT is the human part, and that's a good thing.

Thanks to support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, we're able to keep that investment from reaching what a year of art school would cost. Payment plans are available, and so is financial support The full cost of Emerge is $2,500. Thanks to support from the Delaware Division of the Arts and philanthropic partners, eligible artists may apply for up to $1,500 in subsidy support, reducing their program cost to as little as $1,000.

Yes, and here's how we think about it.

Money is energy. So much of what Emerge teaches is how to conserve it, grow it, and make intentional decisions with it. That starts with your commitment to the program itself. We've tried offering Emerge for free before, and what we found is that without skin in the game, the transformation doesn't land the same way.

That said, we know cost can be a real barrier, and we don't want it to stop the right artist from applying. The full cost of Emerge is $2,500. Thanks to support from the Delaware Division of the Arts and philanthropic partners, eligible artists may apply for up to $1,500 in subsidy support, reducing their program cost to as little as $1,000.

If that's you, request financial support in your application. We review every artist individually and we'll take it from there.

Graduating from Emerge does not mean your support ends.

Once you complete the program, you become part of the Emerge alumni community and keep access to a continued learning portal where you can:

• stay connected with other Emerge artists

• continue building your business knowledge

• revisit tools and resources

• access new learning as your career evolves

• tap back into expert support when you need it

Your needs will change over time. A year from now, you may need another professional photoshoot, additional financial planning, help with a new business system, or support around a new opportunity.

The goal is to keep you connected to the DAC ecosystem so you do not have to figure out every next step alone.

We also select certain alumni to return as paid Emerge Mentors, supporting future cohorts while continuing to grow as leaders within the artist community.

Emerge has a defined completion point, but your relationship with the program does not end there.