CSArt Ottawa is a new social enterprise bringing local artists and local patrons together. It’s based on the community-supported agriculture model of local food distribution, and has the same financial structure: patrons pay in before the season begins, the money goes to the artists to use during creation, and original art is delivered to the patrons.
CSArt Ottawa curates the season, choosing artists of all different disciplines. The piece of art going to subscribers can be experiential, like an exclusive concert, or an object, like a painting — or a little of both. Either way, we like to throw a little party to bring artists and patrons together to celebrate the work.
I launched CSArt Ottawa in March 2016 as a way to highlight local art in this nationally-focused city, and to make the relationship between artists and their communities more visible and immediate. Subscriptions to the season are available until September 30th, with our second season running October 2017 – May 2018.