Hasta La Ideas

The fact that New York City is probably about as urban a setting as one can imagine is probably precisely why the urban garderning movement has slowly but surely established roots in the five boroughs: the notion of growing fresh fruits and vegetables seems intrinsically subversive in a way, a sort of eff-you to the largely inhospitable concrete jungle that is the apotheosis of agrarian environs. So too does Community Supported Agriculture (CSA for short) offer the vicarious satisfaction of living off the land, a cooperative business model in which consumers buy produce directly from growers to the mutual benefit of both parties.

The direct-to-community approach has extended to include various other farm-raised products—I had considering joining a local meat CSA before a friend was promoted to head butcher at a local grocer—and is generally regarded as a viable model for local food distribution. Now a couple of Brooklynites are looking to bring community support to art and design in what they’ve dubbed CSA+D.

Trying to make it as an artist in New York (or anywhere) is no easy task. And yet while the resources to do so are hard to come by, there are so many talented people here in New York creating beautiful art and design works. Likewise, there are also many people here who would love to collect original work, and are willing to pay for something more than an generic print to hang on their wall, but can’t afford the high-end art gallery prices and don’t know where to find the work of those who have yet to hit the big time.

CSA+D Brooklyn aims to bridge this divide, connecting up-and-coming artists with up-and-coming art collectors, providing local support to emerging artists and designers while creating a new, easier way for people to collect locally-produced work. You can learn more about how the service works by watching the video above.

1. SUBSCRIBE
Brooklyn Community Supported Art + Design is a subscription service for locally produced art and design. Following the model of Community Supported Agriculture, in which shareholders invest in a local farm and receive a monthly share of fruits and vegetables, Brooklyn Community Supported Art + Design connects shareholders directly to the community.

2. COLLECT
Through a juried process, artists and designers will be chosen to create 50 pieces for the CSA+D. Each full share will consist of works across several disciplines, potentially including painting, printing, sculpture, textile, decorative objects, ceramics, music, lighting, t-shirt, collage and books.

3. SUPPORT
The Brooklyn CSA+D makes contemporary art and design accessible by connecting Brooklyn-based artists and designers to the community, and in return that community provides significant support for their work. Shares will available for purchase soon at two price points for the inaugural season beginning Fall 2013.

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