co-mads is a travel company…so why host an art event? This past Friday, December 7th, we held our first ‘co-mads art co-llective.’ We invited local up-and-coming artists and designers to the Bull Moose Club in Albany, NY, to display and sell their work to the public. The music was bumpin’, the wine flowed, and people enjoyed each other and the art…About 150 showed up to celebrate local talent. 150!!!!!!
“Y THO”
Because art brings people together; art builds community, art calls for collaboration, art is found all over the world, in every type of environment imaginable. People connect over art when they have nothing else in common. Art opens discussion, imagination, and creativity. Art can be anything, but it always seems to have this effect.
co-mads was founded on all of these values. The art co-llective was a way for us to bring various people together to appreciate the creativity of bright minds, to promote a safe and supportive space for the artists to be vulnerable and allow their peers to admire the results of their labor. Many vendor/art show opportunities require expensive entry fees for the artists. co-mads didn’t require our artists to pay any fees (though in line with the co-mads mission, we asked each of them to donate 5% of their proceeds to the Arts Center of the Capital Region)…we believe everyone should have an equal opportunity to display their artwork, despite financial capability. This was the first time many of them were able to partake in an event such as this due to financial constraint.
Days later, my heart is still full because I saw our local community come together in a new way, and was also able to see the co-mads community grow. Many people came over to me that night and have contacted me since, praising co-mads for such a well-rounded and thoughtful event. A few people told me that this was the best event they’ve been to in the Albany area in quite awhile. I am so grateful that I am now in a position where I can use my network and my passions to bring people together. We will be hosting more events in the future, and have begun thinking about our next co-mads art co-llective. Keep an eye out on our Instagram page for a highlight video soon, thanks to our friends at Reach Creative.
Artists/Designers: Chelsea Fisher, Dan McGraw, Kelvin Zheng, Allie Zink, Elena Bassett, Erica Foley, Erica Chen, LYF Supply, 444&co., James Perry
DJ: Cody Dzintars
Vendors: What’s Poppin Albany
Sponsors: Reach Creative & TSS Printing
If you and/or anyone you know is interested in potentially featuring in the next co-mads art co-llective, please contact us via our website, http://www.co-mads.com.
Leave a Reply