ART$PAY - 2018 PROGRESS REPORT

 Art$Pay connects visual art practitioners with opportunities, community, and advocates for fair pay

An amazing amount has been accomplished in two years around that mission since Art$Pay (AP) was launched on November 22, 2016 to address a void in the regional visual arts sector. There is no official regional artist organization, no point of contact for the public or governments, no funding available and no current official planning for economic development in the visual arts.

 With the help of Overlap Associates in June 2017, a small informal AP Steering Committee created a prioritized plan for the first 18 months which included planning great events, artist income opportunities, professional development, community education and awareness:

  • 1st - Build an organization

  • 2nd - Run great events

  • 3rd - Tell everyone about Artspay

  • 4th - Evolve a financial model
    Build consumers and champions (marketing and advocacy)
    Support and grow the network

Building the AP organization involves building value for all members, for partners and for the general public - at times delicate balancing act! This progress report covers November 2017 to November 2018. An enormous, sincere thanks to all of the AP community supporters, family and friends!


MEMBERSHIP: 135 members currently

125 Artists & Curators from Waterloo Region are now listed in the Art$Pay Directory; single practitioners with a professional arts practice, or those actively developing one. In response to the diversity and needs of individual art practices in the Professional and Developing categories, a wide variety of opportunities are made available by AP. Proficient computer skills are necessary for member communications and submissions to AP. Click here for Benefits for Artists & Curators.

10 Supporting Members include individuals and the organizations Open Sesame , Cambridge Art Galleries | Idea Exchange, Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery and Wattsvisuals. Click here for Benefits for Supporting Members. Developing this membership category strengthens connections and encourages collaborations within the regional visual arts sector, a focus for 2019.  
 

2017-18 MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES

 1) EXHIBITIONS

Six exhibitions with a variety of themes and held in different locations were designed to explore membership needs and build new audience. Paid professional mentors and jurors reviewed member art submissions to build a strong AP art reputation and to provide professional career development. Attendee response was enthusiastic about the uniqueness and caliber of these events. General agreement is that despite the variety, the same audience pool was in fact being tapped, and that for future planning, six per year is too many exhibitions in a community with so many visual arts events.

  • November 10 & 11, 2017   -   ‘Out of the BOX’ Meet Art$Pay
    A professionally-mentored, introductory all-member show at the Walper Hotel, Kitchener

  • May 4 & 5, 2018   -   Rock, Paper, Scissors
    A juried exhibition of artwork in which the principle components were relevant to the exhibition title, held in an empty store on Main St. in Galt

  • May 26, 2018   -   Distillation - The Essence of Waterloo

    A juried photography exhibition of projected images about this city paired with a selected local ‘sound’ artist’s performance, held at CIGI in Waterloo

  • September 7 & 8   -   APNOW! Waterloo

    A juried exhibition of innovative art from Art$Pay members and Guelph and Wellington County artists featuring art-inspired cocktails and desserts, held at CIGI in Waterloo

  • September 22 & 23    -   APNOW! Guelph

    The above show moved to Guelph, sponsored by venue host The Wellington Brewery in Guelph, and featured craft beer and food pairings

  • November 9 & 10   -   Catalyst137 Juried Member Annual Show
    A professionally juried member show held at Catalyst137, Kitchener

2) ART RENTAL PROGRAM

Art$Pay artists have artwork on display at The Centre in The Square CITS for a 5 month period, and are paid rent on that work at 4% of the total value per month.

There is strong community interest in art rental and a number of new projects are in the planning stages. For more information, see here.

3) EMPLOYMENT
Member Skills & Services Website Directory at artspay.org.

AP promotes this directory and hires from this talent pool for needed expertise. Members are contacted through AP for paid graphic design, art installation, website design, art consulting and more

4)  MONTHLY MEET-UPS FOR THE VISUAL ARTS

Ten Monthly meet-ups were held at Open Sesame in Kitchener on rotating weeknights from 7-9 pm.

These are free, open to everyone in the visual arts and include Artist Members Talks, professional development and networking opportunities.

5) ART CRITIQUE SESSIONS

Four AP Art Critique Sessions were hosted at local galleries KWAG, RLG, Idea Exchange and The Clay and Glass Gallery. AP artist members sign up to have their artwork constructively critiqued by a panel of three paid local art experts while revisiting a community gallery to learn about resources and current program offerings.

An optional on-line review of intended artwork for the Catalyst137 event assisted some artists in making a stronger submission and display and will be offered in future along with a  new mentoring program.

6) ART DISPLAY SYSTEM

AP owns over 700 feet of free standing art display panels plus a new art lighting system, for AP member and public rental use. This system was purchased to facilitate AP shows in any venue and for member participation in art events. 

7) WORKSHOPS

AP offers short functional workshops for members to learn new business skills, such as using a Square credit device and file sharing devices.
AP subsidized member participation at workshops hosted by Idea Exchange and The Clay & Glass Gallery

8) ARTIST MEMBER DISCOUNT CARD

Artists and Curators pay a small annual membership fee and receive a Discount Card to recoup that fee with savings at Curry’s Art Supplies, Waterloo Chapters, a hair salon, bike shop and more. Most recently Gwartzmans, a Toronto discount art supplies store, was added to the list of participating retailers. See more information here.

2018 SPONSORS & PARTNERSHIPS

  • Createscape Waterloo Region

  • Perimeter Development Corporation

  • The Walper Hotel

  • The Centre in The Square (CITS)

  • The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)

  • The City of Kitchener - Make it Kitchener

  • Downtown Kitchener Business Improvement Area

  • The City of Waterloo

  • The Region of Waterloo

  • Grand Trunk Saloon

  • The Wellington Brewery

  • Catalyst137 - Ignite Restaurant Group

  • Graffiti Market

  • Stride Interior Design Centre

  • Wallenstein Feed Company

  • The Clay and Glass Gallery

  • Cambridge Galleries - Idea Exchange

  • Stride Interior Design Centre

  • Wallenstein Feed Company

  • WalterFedy Architecture | Engineering | Construction

2018 FINANCES

AP is currently a non-profit initiative, launched in 2017 with a KWCF grant from the Arts & Culture Stream which no longer in exists. As a regional project, AP is not eligible for grants from the municipalities, or from the region. The WR Arts Fund distributes grants for the production of art but not for art development or service projects like AP. Capacity Waterloo Region (CWR) is the AP official Charity Sponsor.

AP has operated independently since launch thanks to the generosity and help from CWR, the Walper Hotel and Perimeter Development Corporation AP. Financial decisions and planning are based on principles of ‘fair pay’ and value for time and money.

AP REVENUE SOURCES INCLUDE:

  • Membership Annual Fees

  • Event Ticketing & Art Sales Commissions

  • Display Equipment Rental 

  • AP Consulting Fees

  • Event Sponsorships

  • Charitable Donations – Official tax receipts are provided by CWR

AP OPERATING EXPENSES INCLUDE:

  • Digital & Communications Coordinator paid 5-10 hours weekly

  • Expertise as required: art consultants, critique session experts, graphic design

  • Website: SquareSpace domain, monthly hosting fee

  • Event Expenses: may include graphic design, advertising the Call for Submissions and promoting the event , printing, event insurance, movers & installers for the display system, mandatory venue-associated AV technicians and cleaning staff, jurors, security, rentals, venue specific equipment & supplies, LCBO special occasion permits (SOP), musician(s), guests reception food & beverage, volunteer food & beverage

COMING IN 2019!

1. AP ART RENTAL PROGRAMS  

  • CITS

  • WalterFedy Art Program - 2 shows annually organized by AP

  • 451 Phillip St. - a Toronto developer is currently considering a requested AP proposal

  • Wallenstein Feed Supply  - Largest feed mill in Canada and wants original art in their new office expansion

 2. CONSIGNMENT PARTNERSHIPS

  • Stride Interior Design Centre

3. EXHIBITIONS - PLANNED TO DATE

  • WATERLOO MOVES, Mar 2, 2019: second performance-based photography event at CIGI

  • WalterFedy: Staff Picks and a second curated show, to be announced

  • A true outdoor pop-up - in the works!

  • Annual Member Show November 2019

4.  WORKSHOPS & CRITIQUE SESSIONS

  • KWAG and Idea Exchange attended the AP October Meet-up to hear member suggestions

  • AP will subsidize some Idea Exchange Winter Workshops for AP members 

5. STUDIO SPACE

  • Two community members have contacted AP for help to plan future ‘cheap’ or free space

6. DEVEOPING ARTS LEADERSHIP

  • AP is contracting young curators and consultants to mount exhibitions in 2019

  • AP provides info and support for projects

  • A new voluntary mentoring buddy system will be announced

7. COMMUNITY CONTACT

  • AP is known as a conduit, and is being contacted by non-profits, developers and other business people to discuss ways to work together work together, and to connect to artists

8. MARKETING THE REGIONAL VISUAL ARTS

  • AP has invited a group of representatives from regional artist-run organizations to collaborate on solutions for mutual challenges and a marketing strategy for the visual arts.

9. YOUR IDEAS and SUGGESTIONS ARE APPRECIATED

  • Contact AP info@artspay.org 

2019 CHALLENGES

1. INCREASE REVENUE AND DECREASE EXPENSES - SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE:

  • Increased annual member fees

  • Artist exhibition fee

  • Market the display system rental

  • New AP  fees for organizing art rental and projects

  • Project Sponsorship

2. WEBSITE - NEW OR REVISED

AP has pushed the preformatted SquareSpace past design limitations and need to develop SEO and a better CALENDAR. The website is a huge directory and central information resource and the current value of listings needs to be re-assessed. Volunteers have disappeared or suggested high -risk solutions.

3. DEPENDABLE VOLUNTEERS WITH EXPERTISE ARE NEEDED:
To help redesign the website, promotions and marketing, organizational structure and succession planning

YOUR IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Please contact Cathy Farwell at info@artspay.org