Daniel Sharp is the Founder and Principal of DSCS, a strategy and operations consultancy that scales cultural work. Founded in 2020, DSCS builds sustainable relationships and systems for artists, institutions, and organizations to set themselves up for long-term success.

Since our founding, we’ve:

• Convinced 40 companies and thousands of employees to trial a Four Day Work Week
• Placed 20+ Land Back billboards by Native artists and their allies across North America
• Published a book celebrating the queer legacies of New York—stocked at the Whitney Museum, Printed Matter, and more
• Funded 14 get-out-the-vote initiatives with For Freedoms and the Wide Awakes
• Written widely on community strategy and artist practices across The Creative Independent, Testudo, Kickstarter, Public Parking, Agora, NYFA, and his own Substack
• Run workshops with Chautauqua Visual Arts, Creative Capital, Art World Conference, and KODA
• Worked with artists who went on to receive Guggenheim fellowships, Creative Capital grants, and solo exhibitions at MoMA, PAMM, and the Whitney Museum
  

With expertise across community strategy, design operations, digital engagement, user experience, editorial, and crowdfunding, Sharp helps your craft stories, grow platforms, secure funding, and claim agency.

Our work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, The Guardian, TODAY, The Art Newspaper, Vogue, Artnet News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Forbes, and Insider.

Sharp is a NEW INC Mentor and alumni of Anticapitalism for Artists and NYC Crit Club. They have spoken widely about their work at DSCS and their own art practice, including Brown University; University of California, Berkeley; The Dutch Art Institute; The Kresge Foundation; Creative Capital; The College Art Association; The Association of Art Museum Curators; and more. His work has been published on NYFA, The Creative Independent, and The Agora Journal of Urban Planning, among others.

As an artist and interdisciplinary organizer, Sharp has led three artist collectives including Moods (2017-ongoing); Michigan Electronic Music Collective (MEMCO, 2015-2017); and Art on the Diag (D/ART, 2015-2017). He lives and works in Waawiyaatanong (Detroit), Michigan.

“The difference between a community and a crowd, and how to get both,” Chautauqua Visual Arts, 2022.

“Innovation in Crowdsourcing,” UC Berkeley, 2021.
“Crowdfunding in 2020,” Art World Conference, 2020.
“Kickstarter for Artists 101,” with KODA Lab, published on True Africa, 2020.
“How to fund an Exhibition on Kickstarter,” at Maryland Institute College of Art, 2020.
“Kickstarter 101 for Art Students,” at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2020.
“Kickstarter for Visual Artists,” with KODA at FiveMyles, Brooklyn, 2020.
“Kickstarter for Visual Artists,” with Broward County Cultural Division, Fort Lauderdale, 2020.
“Crowdfunding Community-Centered Art Projects,” at College Art Association, 2019.
“Crowdsourcing Exhibitions: Lessons Learned,” with Katie Buckingham and Eric Schmalz, hosted by Rebecca McNamara and AAMC, webinar, 2018
“Kickstarter 101 for Creative Capital Awardees,” webinar, 2018.
“Resourcing Your Practice,” with Kresge Fellows and Creative Many, Detroit, 2018.
“Rebranding Democracy,” with Suraj Patel, Rebecca Davis, and Nadia Asgari-Tari, hosted by Anjelica Triola, New York City, 2018.

“Healing Sculptures, Traveling Time: A Conversation with Leah Dixon,” Testudo, 2022.

Interview with Kiana Hayeri “On connecting to the world through your work,” The Creative Independent, 2022.

Interview with Sharon Loudon, “On why you’re more than what you make,” The Creative Independent, 2022.

“On administration as art,” Substack, 2022.

“Against specialization,” Substack, 2022.

“Community strategy: it’s a recipe, and it’s delish,” Substack, 2022.

“Retro: Four Day Work Week and the Overton Window,” Substack, 2022.

“Archives, The Dance Floor, and Using Art to Rethink Binaries: An Interview with Levani,” Testudo, 2022.

Interview with Steve Locke, “On telling the whole story,” The Creative Independent, 2022.

Interview with Tony Patrick, “On why nothing exists without collaboration,” The Creative Independent, 2022.

“One use, over and over: in conversation with Bat-Ami Rivlin,” Public Parking, 2022.
“Planning Your Photobook or Art Book,” Kickstarter, 2022.
Interview with Josué Rivas, “On healing your inner child through your work,” The Creative Independent, 2021.
Interview with Gavin Turk, “On recycling ideas in your work,” The Creative Independent, 2021.
“How to Build Your Kickstarter Arts Community,” Kickstarter, 2021.
“How to Build Your Kickstarter Arts Campaign,” Kickstarter, 2021.
“How to Make a Photography Portfolio,” Kickstarter, 2021.
“Business of Art | Crowdfunding 101,” NYFA Blog, 2020.
Interview with LaToya Ruby Fraizer, “On working with dignity,” The Creative Independent, 2020.
Interview with Azikiwe Mohammed, “On being a steward to music and art,” The Creative Independent, 2020.
Resources for Artists in the COVID-19 Crisis, Kickstarter Blog, 2020.
Interview with The Family Interviews, 2020.
Interview with jackie sumell, “On working through resistance,” The Creative Independent, 2020.
“Kickstarter Launches New Digital Resource for Emerging and Student Artists,” Kickstarter Blog, 2019.
Interview with Asif Mian, “On subverting trauma,” The Creative Independent, 2019.
Interview with Mark Cross, “On working with your neighborhood,” The Creative Independent, 2018.
“You Created a Product on Kickstarter. Here’s What to Do Next,” Kickstarter Magazine, 2018, with Jamie Hoffman.
“5 Essential Product Design and Manufacturing Tips—for Artists,” Kickstarter, 2018, with Maura Lynch.
“Introducing Designed By Artists,” Kickstarter Blog, 2018.
Interview with Shanna Merola and Kate Levy, “On involving other people in your work,” The Creative Independent, 2018.
“New Genre Public Art and the Law,” Agora Journal of Urban Planning and Design, 2017.