The Thrive Together Network was created with a shared vision and belief that women in the arts need each other and thriving as an artist means finding your people.

Founders, Kaylan and Jamie met as they were each running their own separate artist communities. We spent over a year connecting on Whatsapp and Zoom calls, supporting each other by sharing advice and encouragement. The bond we created because of the unique role we each had in building community grew our friendship. We decided it was time to walk the walk and fully dive into the shared belief of “community over competition” and merge our communities!

TTN’s Full Story…

Authentic Beginnings:
Our friendship began in 2020 when we were introduced by a mutual friend and community builder, Liezel Strauss (founder of Art Girl Rising, Subject Matter and more). We became fast friends, sharing in conversation about the work we were doing, Jamie with Thrive and Kaylan with Artist/Mother. We built a lot of trust, over time. Realizing that we had so much to offer each other in wisdom, experience and empathy related to our shared work of community building for artists. We taught each other a lot, sharing the struggles of balancing our own art practice alongside the platforms we each have on our own.

Towards the end of 2021, Kaylan wanted to start an initiative that empowered the artists in her communities to stop relying or waiting on galleries and gatekeepers to give them exhibition opportunities. She shared the idea of the Taking. Up. Space. Initiative with Jamie, and it became something we instantly wanted to do together. We figured out a way to share the idea and content separately with our own communities, while remaining connected and bringing our networks together. Over 60 exhibitions are taking place in 2022 because the artists we know took a chance and created an opportunity for themselves! We were ON FIRE from this exchange and the beautiful explosion of collaboration and momentum that happened because of this initiative inspired us to ask - “What else can we do together, that would be better, more inclusive, and more sustainable?”

“One of the most vital ways we sustain ourselves is by building communities of resistance, places where we know we are not alone.” - Bell Hooks

We believe in the power of artists coming together in community. We believe in the work of empowering women to take up more space, find their artistic voice, and grow in relationships with others and with themselves. We are both motivated, deep down, to do the work of providing support and nourishment to women artists.

We also have been on a path of figuring out how to do this work in ways that is sustainable for us. We have lives and careers and dreams of our own. Building community is enriching and exhausting work. We have come to a place of need and a desperation for balance. We are joining forces in order to keep the momentum growing and continue to serve the artists we so dearly love.

The Way Forward:
Joining forces and combining communities is a powerful thing. It’s also an experience that will require a lot of grace. We have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into creating safe spaces where our individual community members feel welcome and supported. We have only the best intentions for our merger, hoping Thrive members and Artist/Mother members continue to feel seen, known, and valued through the work we are now doing together. We know, deep down, that we are all more powerful when we are living in ways that empower each other. Thank you for trusting our leadership and respecting the transparent way we are trying to live and grow with all of you.