Artists United

Eclectic. Unique. Filled with charm. These are words founder Em Nguyen uses to describe the work of the participating artists in the now-years-old venture, the Art Collective. It’s a local multi-annual opportunity for artists of all disciplines and experience levels to get exposure to the community at large—and it’s also a vital outlet for removing the barriers to making being an artist your bread and butter.

“I started the Art Collective back when I was 21,” Nguyen said. “I had been in the Black Sheep Coffee show and did the Touch of Europe show, and it was really hard, because everyone that came to that show was a friend or family. I didn’t really see a great way to network with people outside of my inner circle. 

“I wished there was a show that had maybe a couple more artists. Ideally, in my mind, each person knows at least 5-10 friends who would come out and support them — so let’s say we get 15 people together. That’s 150 people. I get to meet nearly 140 people that I may have never been exposed to. They can see my artwork and we can all connect by our own inner support systems, in a way.”

That mentality spurred Nguyen to hold the first Art Collective event at Lucky’s Bar in downtown Sioux Falls in 2009. They shuffled the pool tables and put work on any surfaces they could find. That first event included about 15 makers, a number that has gradually grown in the years since.

“At some point we did outgrow Lucky’s and maxed out the space — upstairs, downstairs, people in front of the bathrooms.”

From there, the Art Collective made a new home out of ICON Event Hall and only recently expanded its footprint thanks to a collaboration with the Washington Pavilion’s Visual Arts Center.

“They offered me the space for free, with gallery lighting, so once we’d maxed out at ICON at about 50-60 artists, we now can accommodate 90-plus,” Nguyen said. “For this summer, we’ll have access to additional upstairs space, so I’m anticipating 120-150 artists.”

So what exactly can one expect when attending an Art Collective event? Nguyen hopes it creates an environment for the artists to affordably get their foot in the door from an exposure and commercial standpoint, as well as one where appreciators of art can see the value in collecting and gifting local work.

“I’ve always geared the show toward the artist. It’s a blessing to see how far we’ve come in the last decade. There are so many more options,” she said. “I always structure this to be the most beneficial for artists in a sense of how much money you’re going to make. A lot of other shows will take a percentage of your sales or the fee’s pretty high, so I try to gear it toward benefiting the artists. 

“A lot of people are doing it part-time and are investing a lot of money upfront to get going. It’s always been really nice to hear feedback from artists that this is their first art show. When you do a solo show, there’s a lot of pressure to have 16-17 pieces to have a good show. All eyes are on you. Sometimes when you’re first starting off, there’s a lot of anxiety that comes with it. So with the Art Collective, you’re amongst many other artists and you get the exposure to meet people without all the pressure being on you. It gives new artists the jumpstart they need to one day do solo shows or feature in other places. They can also learn from other artists and get a new sense of direction.”

Beyond offering the space—the $50 flat fee includes table and seating space—Nguyen hopes to connect with emerging artists to offer support on pricing their work for its true value and tips for making art your career.

“The most rewarding part is hearing the feedback from artists who haven’t shown before,” she said. “When I see them sell a piece that they couldn’t have fathomed someone would want to buy from them, you can just see their eyes light up. ‘I can do this. This is real. This is something I could actually pursue.’ Seeing that boost of confidence from them after a show is what drives that belief.”

And the response from attendees has been a factor that has kept the Art Collective on its upward trajectory, growing annually.

“I’m usually overwhelmed with how thankful people are. They’re always amazed at how many artists are here and local,” she said. “There’s an intimacy with everyone being a local artist or crafter, they’re sitting there and you can get know them and learn about their pieces — I think that’s why a lot of people feel joy when they come to a show.

“If people are going to be out buying gifts, then buy it from your local artist. Get something that’s one-of-a-kind. Get something that’s meaningful. Why go spend the same amount of dollars elsewhere when you could’ve bought something handmade? There will be something in these shows that will connect with your loved ones, whether it’s a portrait of their favorite rapper or an image of Sioux Falls they’d really like or a magical stitched frog — it’s just a little more meaningful to know that your money is going toward someone pursuing their dreams beyond working their 9-to-5.”