Level Up

Level Up Professional Development for Arts and Culture

Level Up

Level Up is a professional development series for the arts & culture sector.

Through interactive workshops and expert-led seminars, you will gain valuable skills and insights for growth. Whether you’re looking to improve your fundraising techniques, expand your art business, enhance your curatorial strategies, or foster stronger community engagement, Level Up offers the tools and knowledge to help you succeed.

Program Details

  • Level Up registration fee is included with your membership
  • Some sessions are exclusive to network Members, while others are open to the public
  • Organizational Members are allowed to register multiple staff / board members
  • Registration is required for each session

Not a member, you can join today!

Roles & Responsibilities for the Proactive Board

  • Wednesday, March 25, 2026
  • 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Traverse City - TBA

This workshop is essential for executive directors and board members, focusing on the critical roles and responsibilities within board governance. Facilitated by Cindy McSurely, a seasoned nonprofit consultant with nearly 20 years of experience in our region's arts and culture sector, this session promises valuable insights for effective leadership. Each member organization may send 2-3 participants, so please register promptly to secure your spots.

Note to attendees: Chief Executive with at least two board members is strongly preferred/recommended to attend, you are welcome to bring more.

Cost

Facilitator: Cindy McSurely

As a nonprofit consultant with over 20 years in the nonprofit sector, Cindy McSurely specializes in fund development, governance, and translating strategic vision into tangible outcomes.  She has a passion for the arts with previous positions as Development Director of Crooked Tree Arts Center, and Executive Director of Blissfest Music Organization.  Cindy is actively involved as Vice President of the Michigan Music Alliance, Co-President of the Kiwanis Club of Petoskey, Board Member here at NWMIARTS, and a Steering Committee member for Leadership Little Traverse.

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • Art & culture professionals / administrators
  • Board members

Details

  • This session is intended for cohorts of 2-3 from each organization (ED with 2 board members strongly recommended)

 

Preparing Yourself and Your Artwork for Gallery Success

  • Thursday March 19, 2026
  • 8:30am - 12:00pm
  • Emmet County - TBA

Join us for a hands-on workshop designed to help artists prepare both themselves and their artwork for gallery opportunities. This session focuses on the practical foundations that support successful exhibitions and ongoing relationships with galleries.

Participants will explore strategies for documenting and organizing their work, preparing artwork for exhibition, and presenting it clearly and professionally. Topics include titling and pricing work, techniques for photographing artwork, basic inventory strategies, writing concise artist statements, assembling submission materials, and preparing work for exhibition or sale. The workshop will also touch on how to approach galleries, understand expectations, and build positive, professional relationships.

This interactive session is ideal for artists who want to feel more confident and prepared when pursuing exhibition or sales opportunities. Attendees are encouraged to bring images or information about their work and will leave with practical tools, clearer next steps, and materials they can immediately apply to their practice.

Cost

Facilitator: Sheila Ruen

Sheila Ruen is the Visual Arts Director at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey, Michigan. Previously, she served as the Education Director at Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, the Galleries Director at Crooked Tree Arts Center,  Arts and Design Department Chair at the William Penn Charter School, a Quaker, an Independent School in Philadelphia, and taught as an adjunct instructor at various schools, including Chicago State University, Philadelphia University, and Stanford University. She studied digital design at the University of Edinburgh, enjoyed a post-graduate painting residency at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Karlsruhe, earned an MFA from the University of Michigan, and a BFA from the California College of Art. Her most recent creative endeavor is called: From Algae to Zeugma, a card game that explores associations between images and texts.

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • Artists

Details

Ingredients for a Compelling Appeal Letter

  • Thursday April 9, 2026
  • 8:30am - 12:00pm
  • Traverse City - TBA

 

What are the ingredients for a compelling Appeal Letter?

Fundraising veteran Beth Stoner Wiegand will facilitate a detailed, hands-on workshop regarding the art of writing donor appeal letters. In this three-hour session, we’ll look closely at what makes a letter purposeful, compelling, and how thoughtful practices, like audience segmentation and handwritten touches, can deepen prospect connections resulting in favorable results. Participants will have time to work on their own letters and leave with a solid draft or an improved version ready for use.

Cost

Facilitator: Beth Stoner-Weigand

A graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Music Performance, Beth’s first job was working for a US Senator before moving to a federal agency, the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington, D.C., followed by 22 years serving in a variety of roles in the Advancement Department at Interlochen Center for the Arts. When she isn’t golfing, sailing, gardening or on a travel adventure, she will be consulting, coaching or conducting annual teaching seminars in fundraising for Extended Education Services at Northwestern Michigan College, underwritten in part by Rotary Charities of Traverse City. She lives on Old Mission Peninsula with husband Bruce.

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • Organizations

Details

Story to Support: Build Capacity through Social Media

  • Thursday October 8, 2026
  • 8:30am - 12:00pm
  • Traverse City - TBA

Led by Marivi Bryant, founder of HOME Agency, a people-first creative and strategy firm based in Traverse City, this workshop explores how arts organizations and artists can use storytelling and social media to inspire connection and drive fundraising. With experience helping mission-driven brands grow through authentic content and community engagement, Marivi will guide participants in identifying their unique stories, translating them into meaningful online communication, and using simple strategies to turn audiences into advocates and supporters.

Attendees will leave with practical tools to:

Clarify and share their story in a way that feels authentic and compelling

Use social media with purpose to grow community and engagement

Connect storytelling to fundraising goals in a sustainable, values-driven way

Cost

Facilitator: Marivi Bryant 

Marivi Bryant is the Founder and President of HOME Agency, a people-first marketing and branding firm working with mission-driven organizations and national brands across the country. With nearly 25 years of experience spanning the Phoenix Suns, NASCAR Foundation, State Farm, Blue Cross Blue Shield, New Balance, and more, she built HOME on the belief that purposeful, human-centered marketing drives real impact. Originally from Venezuela, Marivi came to the United States at 13 to pursue tennis, earning a Division I scholarship and developing the resilience that fuels her leadership today. She is an active arts and community advocate, serving on the boards of Slow Burn Theatre Company and Old Town Playhouse, with past roles at the Blumenthal Center for the Performing Arts, Levine Museum of the New South, Arena Stage, and The Salvation Army of South Florida. In 2025, she launched the Values in Action Award, a $100,000 pro bono initiative supporting nonprofits through strategic marketing and storytelling. Marivi lives in Michigan with her husband, Mathew, and their children, Logan and Lyla.

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • All

Details

A Tech Toolkit for the Proactive Arts Admin

  • Thursday October 15, 2026
  • 8:30am - 12:00pm
  • Charlevoix TBA

A Tech Toolkit for the Proactive Arts Admin

For nonprofit professionals, staying organized can often feel like a full-time job in itself. This session is designed to help arts nonprofit professionals transition from "putting out fires" to proactive planning by leveraging the full power of their existing digital ecosystem. We want to help you reclaim your creative energy by shifting from reactive tasks to proactive impact using the tools you already use every day. We’ll dive into "hidden" Google Workspace features to automate your inbox and calendar, followed by high-impact applications for AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM to streamline grant drafting, program planning, and donor reporting. You’ll walk away with a practical "productivity toolkit" and the confidence to let technology handle the busy work so you can focus on human-centered work. 

 

Cost

Facilitator:   Sam Charnes

Sam Charnes is the Associate Vice Provost at Interlochen Center for the Arts, overseeing institutional research and educational technology for a sprawling arts education ecosystem that runs the gamut from a 600-student boarding high school and a 3,500-student summer camp to a variety of online and adult auxiliary programs. Specializing in systems implementation and operational strategy, she is dedicated to using data and technology to drive decision-making and planning. She thrives on creating order out of chaos, values curiosity, strives for continual improvement, and believes that anything is possible with enough coffee and a strong Wi-Fi network.

 

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • Organizations

Details

Beyond the Noise: Tightening Strategy & Reducing Mission Drift

  • Thursday October 22, 2026
  • 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Charlevoix Area- TBA

Too much to do and too little time? You are not alone! Join us for this interactive workshop to explore tools and strategies to help your organization tighten its strategy and focus on what is most important. Learn how to identify what matters most, align your Board and staff around your top priorities, and develop a strategic screen to stay on track. Explore how to reduce mission drift, increase community impact, and prevent employee burnout and turnover. 

Cost

Facilitator: Colleen Masterson-Bzdok

Colleen Masterson-Bzdok has over 20 years of experience working with northern Michigan nonprofits as a staff member, board member, volunteer, funder and consultant. She is passionate about helping leaders and organizations improve their culture, align their work around what is most important and maximize their impact in the communities they serve. Learn more about Colleen here.

Audience: Who is this for?

This session is designed for:

  • Art & culture administrators

Details