Gorilla Tango Financial and The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship(TM) Partner to Build the Creative Enterprise Microfinance Fund

CHICAGO, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship™ (IAE) and Gorilla Tango Financial have announced a strategic partnership to provide up to $10,000 of financing to qualified creative enterprise start-ups, small or medium businesses that have successfully completed The IAE's 2-week business plan development workshop known as Creative Enterprise Boost Camp.  Applicants who enroll in The IAE's two-year program, beginning in January 2011, will be eligible to apply for an additional $25,000 to continue the development of their enterprise while they attend school.

With a joint mission of fostering the growth of the creative economy, The IAE and Gorilla Tango Financial are uniquely positioned to help those in art, design, fashion, film, music, performing arts, and publishing to realize their creative vision through educational training, mentorship and access to capital.

"We have secured $100,000 as our startup/beta stage funding and we are looking to place this entire amount into various projects in 2010," said, Dan Abbate, CEO of Gorilla Tango Financial and president of Gorilla Tango Theatre. "Our mission has always been to foster the growth of new and exciting productions in our theater in a sustainable and profitable manner. We are looking to expand that mission through Gorilla Tango Financial, which will supply advances, loans, investment and other types of venture capital to support small, medium and large entertainment projects in any media."

"At The IAE we support the development of creative individuals by teaching them how to build profitable small businesses. Our students need not only the business experience, education and mentorship we offer to them but  access to non-traditional sources of funding to be able to make the difference they seek to make in the world," says Lisa Canning, executive director of The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship. "We are incredibly excited about the opportunities this partnership holds for our students to not only learn the skills they need to thrive through our programs, but have access to the capital they need to launch their businesses."

Deadline to apply for The IAE boost camp is July 1st. Applications for The IAE's two year creative enterprise certificate program can be found at www.TheIAE.com. For more information about Gorilla Tango Financial, visit www.GorillaTango.biz. For more information about the Creative Enterprise Microfinance Fund contact [email protected].

About The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship

The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship™ is a two-year program to teach artists how to earn a living. With a curriculum that combines experiential learning, mentorship and a personalized classroom environment that provides one-on-one time with the faculty of successful artist-entrepreneurs, artists are taught how to build their own arts based business while still in school.

Founded by 25-year business veteran and serial artistic entrepreneur Lisa Canning, The Institute is based on her enthusiasm for the new wave of whole-brain thinking and the firm belief that the arts - and artists - can and must be allowed to contribute to the world's financial recovery.

Enrollment is limited to 45 students. Applications are available online to apply for the institute. There is no age limit for enrollment and the requirements to apply simply include artistic excellence and a desire to be self- sufficient. For more information about the school, go to www.TheIAE.com.

SOURCE The Institute for Arts Entrepreneurship