From BOWLING GREEN ARTS COUNCIL
The Bowling Green Arts Council (BGAC) has begun selling member shares to the inaugural season of Community Supported Art.
What is Community Supported Art? Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture has become a popular way for consumers to buy seasonal food directly from local farms. With the same buy local spirit in mind, the arts council initiated a new kind of CSA to to support local art, artists, and collectors.
Six artists selected from the BGAC membership will receive a commission to create“shares” of original art for the program. Interested consumers/collectors will purchase a share from the BGAC and in return receive “farm boxes” of locally produced artwork at two pick up events this summer.
“One of our artist members mentioned the idea,” said Robin Gerrow of the BGAC. “We did some research and feel like this project is a great fit for our Bowling Green arts community. It’s a way to introduce artists to a new audience, and for those who appreciate local art to discover the depth of talent we have in our town.”
Based on a model and toolkit from the Springboard for the Arts in Minnesota, this opportunity will be open to visual artists, musicians, performing artists, and writers, and participants will be chosen by a selection committee. Featured works could include items such as: a vinyl record, a run of screen-prints, a series of small teacups, a run of photographs, tickets to an upcoming performance or event, letterpress editions of a poem or short story, or small original paintings.
For the inaugural year, 25 shares will be available for purchase by the general public. The two pick-up evenings will be events in themselves.
Member shares cost $250 for the season and can be purchased by contacting bowlinggreenartscouncil@gmail.com.
The goals of the CSA program are to support artists and to create an engaged community of local arts supporters.
CSA supports artists in the creation of new work, in establishing relationships with local collectors and patrons, with the chance to participate in the launch of an exciting new model of art support and distribution.
CSA share member benefits include multiple works of art from local emerging and mid-career artists, the opportunity to develop relationships with the local artists and the art community, discovering new artists, and exploring a variety of disciplines represented in our arts community.
More details about the CSA, and artist application information, are available at bgartscouncil.com
The BGAC is a volunteer organization working with local artists, arts organizations, and
arts supporters to provide inspiration, enjoyment, and learning opportunities in the
Bowling Green community.
