by Jessie Ammons

You’ve heard of Community Supported Agriculture programs, the popular way to buy local, seasonal produce directly from local farmers. Now you can jump-start your personal art collection by joining Raleigh’s first Community Supported Art program, organized by Artspace. Eight local artists have created 50 original works, from gritty waterless lithograph portraits to whimsical collages, colorful graphic animal prints, sculpture, and paintings. If you purchase a share, you’ll receive one piece of art from each artist: eight works, luck of the draw.

It’s a great way to dip your toes into the waters of our local art world. All of the CSA artists are members at Artspace, the community of artists’ studios and exhibition galleries at City Market. If you particularly love a piece, you can head downtown to meet its creator and see his or her workspace. The program is “a platform to discover art like never before,” says Artspace CEO Mary Poole. And at $350 per share, it’s an affordable investment. “It gives the opportunity for more people to have work in their home,” says Pati Reis, one of the contributing member artists.

Shares are on sale now on a first-come first-served basis and work is immediately available for pick-up. Once this round wraps up, Poole says the program will continue annually. The call for CSA artists will open in August, and the next group of artists will be juried and selected in September. But who wants to wait until fall? You could have eight local artworks by then.  

For more information and to sign up, visit artspacenc.org