Making Good: Swapping the Veggies for Art In Your CSA

Amy Rice’s “Prayers for Pollinators” flags. (Photo courtesy of Springboard for the Arts Creative Exchange.)

When you hear the acronym “CSA,” chances are the first thing you think of is community supported agriculture. But in more than 50 cities this past summer, CSA meant something else. For these communities, the agriculture in CSA was replaced with art.

In 2010, Springboard for the Arts began connecting residents and artists in their communities together using the traditional CSA (agriculture) model, but swapped veggies for art. Today, their Creative Exchange is bringing the art-based model to communities across the country. Interested participants buy a share in the CSA but instead of baskets of locally-sourced food over a given period of time, they’re presented with several pieces of art. Laura Zabel, executive director of Springboard for the Arts and Creative Exchange, said the organization wanted to create something like a CSA to help connect artists to their communities.

“The program helps people connect to their local economy and locally made things,” Laura said.

The art-themed CSA first started in St. Paul. Thanks to a grant from the Knight Foundation, the group was able to develop an online toolkit to help people across the country develop a CSA in their own hometowns. From Fargo to Tampa, art aficionados are coming together to support their local artists.

While every local program is unique, the basics for getting the CSA going are the same. The organizers select a handful of artists per season and set the number of shares available. Group leaders often host pick-up events to further the connection between artist and buyer throughout the CSA time period. It doesn’t take much to get a program going, just a can-do attitude. There’s no set season, no set types of art, and no set price for the shares; it’s all up the art lovers in charge.

For Appleton, Wisc., organizer Fanny Lau, her first season started recently and offered 50 shares from eight local artists. The work offered represents a diverse group; there’s printmakers, mixed media artists, painters and ceramicists. Fanny got involved with the idea after looking for a program that could possibly combine food AND art together.

“I was so intrigued looking at the toolkit,” she said. “The program was a way for the community to learn about the art happening in the area. Already it’s become a great platform for showcasing local artists.”

Close to home, Laura said their local CSA offers buyers art representing multiple genres and disciplines. Poets pair with printmakers to turn poems into works of printed art. In Pittsburgh, one CSA offered an all-performing arts option to shareholders. It’s hard to ask someone to choose a favorite project, but one that stays with Laura is a set of prayer flags for pollinators created by artist Amy Rice.

“That’s what I love, seeing what really reflects the community,” Laura said.

With such variety in the work offered both near and far, Laura said feedback from shareholders has been great. One thing that is so appealing to potential participants is the ability to get exposed to new artists and types of art, especially for those who feel like they might not know a lot about their local art scene to begin with. And it offers a big sense of community pride.

“People come into this knowing they’re buying into an experience, not just the nine pieces of physical art they’ll receive along the way,” said Laura.

For those interested in starting their own CSA in their hometown, Laura recommends getting a few other like-minded people together to get the program off the ground. Making the most of the toolkit is key. Maps are offered online to see if there’s already a CSA nearby. And, of course, the Creative Exchange is available to help and answer questions.

What’s next for the program? Creative Exchange just published their CSA toolkit in Spanish, based on user request, and are gearing up for their own sixth season back at home, where it all began.

“What’s been great about the movement is to see individuals own the program and really make it their own,” Laura said.

This post is part of our Making Good series about makers who use their DIY skills to better their communities. Check back for more Making Good posts, including ideas you can bring to your own community.