Community Supported Art is an opportunity to build meaning, joy, and connection through buying art from Minnesota artists. Buyers get unique shares of local artwork delivered to your door!
Originally launched in 2010, Community Supported Art is an art subscription model based on Community Supported Agriculture, with the same focus on consumers purchasing items directly from their local community. Springboard for the Arts commissions Minnesota artists to create work that is packaged and sold as a series, so that subscribers receive boxes of unique local art delivered to their door. Each edition of Community Supported Art includes a limited number of shares – only 50 are available at a time, and CSA buyers can expect to receive 9-12 pieces of art in a full season.
Since its launch in 2010, CSA has commissioned work from over 100 artists, including functional ceramics, prints and paintings, textiles, custom music recordings, puppet theaters, and more. In addition to Springboard’s own CSA program, Springboard wrote a toolkit to help communities replicate the model. Community Supported Art has been replicated in over 60 cities across North America, and featured in the New York Times, Minnesota Public Radio, Star Tribune, and other media. Don’t miss out on your chance to own unique art and get connected to the artists!
Community Supported Art has been replicated in over 60 communities across the United States and Canada since 2011. Interested in replicating CSA in your community? Download the toolkit to start your own.
Header Image Credit: CSA packing volunteers, photo by Springboard staff.
Good question! Selected artists receive a commission to create 50 “shares” for the program. Interested collectors will purchase a share from Springboard for the Arts and, in return, receive boxes or portfolios of locally produced artwork at intervals during the season.
Featured works could include nearly anything. In the past, we’ve had specially-pressed vinyl 7-inch records, screen prints, series of small functional ceramics, photography, letterpress editions of a poem or short story, and 50 small original paintings. Each member share includes one piece from each of the nine CSA featured artist works over the season at pick-up events.
For the Springboard CSA, share prices have ranged between $250 to $350 each, have come with studio visits and pickup parties, and are a great way to connect with local artists and art supporters. CSA shares can be purchased here.
Thanks for asking! If you’re an artist interested in participating in CSA, contact Wone Vang, Springboard’s Economic Opportunity Director, at wone@springboardforthearts.org.
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