Thanks to ICCSA subscribers and supporters from our first two seasons! Stay tuned for news about Season 3 (Fall/Winter 2013)!
About Iowa City Community Supported Art
Based on the concept of Community Supported Agriculture in which “shareholders” pledge support for local farmers in return for a portion of whatever the harvest brings, Iowa City Community Supported Art implements this model with local artists. In our version, the shareholders are avid arts supporters who (through a donation to a tax-deductible arts nonprofit) are both supporting an economy of local artists and the art spaces that promote them. In return for their tax-deductible donation, they get 6 unique pieces of art over a season. The work is representative of a wide-range of Iowa City-centrific art-makers and may include anything from prints, paintings, and photographs to sculptures, videos, or performances — all unique to the series. The pick-up events provide an opportunity to meet the artists and learn more about their process as well as talk with active volunteers and supporters of the local arts community.
ICCSA by the Numbers
6 Artists/Artist Teams participate in each making a unique piece of art in an edition of 15.
Each artist is paid $500 for their contribution.
Each subscription costs $350.
Remaining revenue goes to Public Space One for packaging, promoting, and presenting the work of local artists through ICCSA, gallery exhibitions, and other programs.
What makes ICCSA special?
Similar “arts” CSA programs have cropped up in various cities in the last couple years. The model provided by Springboard for the Arts along with mnartists.org in the Twin Cities is one of the more visible and they offer “replication kits” for other places (and a map to keep track of them!). Threewalls is also a kindred space that has adopted the program.
Iowa City (as far as my research goes) is the smallest (population-wise) to offer such a program and (as such) part of our mission is to present the work of people that make this community great, while also highlighting what makes it unique. Participating artists are all instrumental in our community of contemporary makers and we are excited with the opportunity to more visibly share and garner support for their work. Please help us make this special.