PARALLELS IN ART AND AGRICULTURE

Arts | May 9th, 2016

By Jacinta Macheel Zens

Over the last 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has been an increasingly popular way for consumers to purchase their food. Before a growing season begins, participating farmers will sell “shares” of that year’s harvest. People that buy these “shares” will receive fresh food directly from the farmer, throughout the year’s growing season, in return for their pre-season payment.

This alternative method for buying food has also been used as a model for an alternative way to produce and sell art, which is aptly named Community Supported Art (CSA). These art-based CSA programs allow local artists and collectors to support each other on a local level. This type of art exchange has been used in cities throughout the world, and has been proven to be an effective way to support art communities.

To further strengthen the regional arts community, The Kaddatz Gallery and the Springboard for the Arts Lake Region have teamed up to create a Community Supported Art program for artists and art collectors. This regional CSA program is modeled on the Community Supported Art project created by Springboard for the Arts and mnartists.org in Minnesota.

Here is how it works: artists submit samples of their work for consideration for this project. All of the submissions will be reviewed, and then selected artists will be given a stipend of $600 to create 30 small pieces of art. These art pieces will then be packaged together with one art piece from each artist that participated in the program. These packages of art constitute a “share” of art. Collectors and art patrons alike can buy a “share” to the program and with that receive 3 boxes of locally produced art, in intervals, this fall.

I reached out to Michele Anderson, Springboard for the Arts Lake Region’s Director of Rural Programs, and asked her about this program. This was her response: “With West Central Minnesota's rich agricultural history, we're excited to use the CSA model to extend a fun conversation about how art is produced and valued in the region, and connect artists with new patrons. Many of the challenges related to food production apply to artists and the creative economy. Just like meeting local growers at a farmer's market can make you appreciate and be more intentional about the food you buy, so does meeting the artists in your community. The Community Supported Art program provides an alternative to the gallery experience, which is just not for everyone and can be intimidating at first, both for artists and buyers. In the case of the CSA, the buyer is not just receiving beautiful art, but they are sending the message to the arts community that artists are supported and valued in their community, and that they want that art to continue being produced."

I also reached out to Gretchen Boyum, Curator and Education Programs Manager and asked her about the new CSA program. Gretchen replied, “We are excited to be teaming up with Springboard for this project here in Fergus Falls. We are hoping to develop connections between artists and local art collectors and art enthusiasts. Our region is full of amazing artists, so this will be a great opportunity for new collectors to be introduced to some of those artists.”

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

For more information regarding the Community Based Art program, please visit the Kaddatz Gallery’s website: http://kaddatzgalleries.org/get-involved/community-supported-art/

If you have any questions relating to the CSA program, please contact Gretchen Boyum, at the Kaddatz Gallery. 218-998-4405 or gretchen@thekaddatz.org.

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