THE DANDELION: OUR ORIGINAL LOGO

When we began our quest to document the lives and legacies of the South Coast’s artists, we chose the dandelion as a symbol of the spirit of the South Coast’s creative communities. It reflected the ubiquitous nature of creativity—how it grows everywhere, sometimes quietly, sometimes defiantly. The dandelion spore especially embodies the hopes, wishes, and dreams carried forward by the many visual, performing, literary, and culinary artists who call the South Coast home.

A Community Digital Archive

The Artists Index is a community digital archive—a repository for our growing collection of artist biographies, photos, and podcasts. We remain focused on launching a fully searchable, shareable, and scalable database that will serve individuals, educators, researchers, scholars, and genealogists for generations to come. We think of it as the ancestry.com of the South Coast, preserving the stories of both contemporary and historical artists to ensure their legacies endure.

What began as a privately developed, locally managed website has now grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supported by donations, grants, sponsorships, and partnerships—most notably with the New Bedford Whaling Museum during its 2023 Common Ground: Community Stories exhibition.

Our Goal

As a legacy nonprofit, our mission is to continually document the unique history and contributions of the South Coast’s creative community. We strive to recognize and include artists who might otherwise be lost, forgotten, or overlooked—bringing their voices into the collective historical record.

Our Content

The Artists Index has conducted hundreds of conversations with artists representing diverse disciplines, communities, and backgrounds, with over 200 to date. These oral histories are preserved digitally, in part through our collaboration with the Whaling Museum. They are available on our website and through major platforms, including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, iHeart Radio, Ivoox, and Libsyn.

Creation and Management

The Artists Index is created and managed with significant assistance from Spectrum Marketing Group, SMG Productions, and grant-supported collaborators from within the creative community. We also work closely with private and cultural organizations to expand our reach and impact.

Accessibility & Growth

Maintaining an easily searchable digital archive requires ongoing support from donations, grants, sponsorships, and partnerships. We are also developing a biennial publication that compiles every fifty podcasts, featuring each artist’s biography, photo, creative work, and a QR code linking to their episode and companion blog post.

Why It Matters

The Artists Index is more than a database—it is a resource for historians, scholars, genealogists, and anyone interested in identity, place, and culture. It strengthens community connections and encourages engagement by documenting and sharing the stories of our diverse and vibrant creative community.

Something New – Kind of…

We’ve been publishing articles promoted as the In-Focus Articles. After publishing this article, new articles will be published under the Dandelion Magazine banner. Articles chronicling the makers, creators, performers, and supporters of the South Coast arts and culture scene past and present.

Share Your Story

Do you, your family, or your organization have a story to share? Would you like to be a guest on a South Coast Artists Index Podcast? Do you have a suggestion or a lead? We’d love to hear from you.

Our podcasts bring listeners closer to the artists, arts supporters, and cultural leaders who shape the South Coast. We record in the Spectrum Marketing Group studio and also use Zoom to connect with guests near and far—including those who no longer live on the South Coast but remain part of its creative legacy.

Watch for our first Dandelion Magazine article – Life, Loss & Legacy