ArtSmart 2027 – April 23-25, 2027

Meet Our Guest Speaker

Diane R. Scott  is an arts administrator, educator, and writer specializing in the development of resources and programming to support artists in the management of enduring artistic practices.

The Director of Artist Services at the Regional Arts Organization Mid‐America Arts Alliance, Scott is the founding director and principal designer of the Artist INC professional development program. Now in its 18th year, Artist INC programs have been completed by more than 3,500 artists. Diane is also a noted professor winning numerous teaching awards. She specializes in creative entrepreneurship and has worked with thousands of artists and arts administrators in traditional classrooms and professional development settings to improve their strategic planning, marketing, project planning, financial, fundraising, leadership, communication, and evaluation skills.

Scott’s book Artist Entrepreneurship for Life: Making Art Work for You was released by Routledge in 2025.

We are very excited to welcome Diane Scott to ArtSmart 2027 as our guest speaker. She will be talking with us on both Saturday and Sunday helping us to adapt and implement tactics to not only survive as an artist, but thrive. Her topics will include:

Trust Artists: Moving from Words to Action
The world is facing a multitude of challenges including rapid climate change, the rise of artificial intelligence, and increasing polarization. If we look back at the history of humanity, it’s always been artists who have brought us to an understanding of ourselves. The stereotype of artists (even among artist communities) would paint them as unreliable, while evidence from the pandemic shows that artists are more than worthy of our trust. Knowing the needs facing our turbulent world, how can artists thwart the stereotype and trust themselves.

Strategic Management for Artists
In a world of perpetually changing communication, distribution, and technology, artists face innumerable and rapidly altering challenges to creating enduring artistic practices. A strategic management framework
gives a lasting foundation and holistic understanding of the broader system of the artist in the arts economy, while simultaneously helping artists identify contemporary tools and tactics to implement in service of their self‐determined ideals of artistic success in their individual creative practices.

The BEAST will once again rear his head at the 2027 ArtSmart conference. Wait, wait…. You ask, what is the BEAST? Well, the BEAST is a table full of your art surplus goodies that you are looking to rehome. Yes, that’s right…bring your extra brushes, papers, art magazines, supplies, equipment, show displays, whatever you have hanging around the house and studio that is art related and no longer of use to you. We all know the old saying, “One artist’s trash, is another artist’s treasure.”

So, bring along your goodies that you would like to donate to the de-stash BEAST table. For those who find new treasures, we just ask that you place an appropriate donation into the BEAST box. Monies collected will go towards future BOMH ArtSmart scholarships. We greatly appreciate your help in making the BEAST a success. Start setting your items aside with plans to bring your extras and surplus to FEED THE BEAST!!

Saturday Night Shenanigans

This is such a great opportunity to mingle with other Best of Missouri Hands members from across the state and finally have an opportunity to meet face to face, all while making art together! Laughter and good times guaranteed!!! From 7-9pm on Saturday April 24th, we will be hosting Saturday Night Shenanigans. Tables will be set up around the room offering art activities for participants to experience and get creative.  Try one or try them all.

The Silent Auction and Art Raffle

Always a fun and exciting time at ArtSmart, the much-anticipated Silent Auction and Raffle! We are reaching out to YOU, our members, friends and folks you know. Donated items will help raise scholarship funds for the Best of Missouri Hands and monies for our outreach programs.

We have had some fantastic items donated in the past and it is very much appreciated. Last conference we had some very nice pieces of art donated that caused an frenzy!! Take a peek and see what you might have to donate and add excitement to our silent auction and raffle. Raffle tickets will be available for sale during the conference. Silent Auction sheets will be out until the close of bidding Saturday evening.

We always look forward to this fun activity, and getting to see the varied and creative artwork donated by our fellow BOMH members.

Mock Jury

Looking for an opportunity to get some positive and helpful feedback on your jury images? Then we have just the thing for you. The Best of Missouri Hands will have a Mock Jury session at our ArtSmart conference in Columbia, Missouri.

Do you exhibit at art shows or submit your images for exhibits or other calls for art? Well then, this is where you need to be. We will project images submitted by attendees for our panel of judges to give you helpful tips on how to improve your images and presentation. This will be open to all attendees of the conference, and anyone is welcome to submit images for review. We will be posting instructions on how to submit your images via EntryThingy.

Go ahead and pull some images together now so you will be ready to submit them once we open things up for the Mock. Whether you are new to the digital application process or looking to improve your jury submissions, all artists are welcome to attend and learn!

Get Your BOMH Gear & Save The Shipping

Need Juried Member stickers, banners or signs?  Get ’em at ArtSmart and save the shipping.  Also available will be the new, blue BOMH t-shirts and polos, caps, and other items. And who doesn’t want to be caught without their very own BOMH 16 ounce porcelain mug? Created and donated by our own potter, Jeanne Scott.  Visit Peggy by the Registration Desk during free time and breaks.