Make your own ARTcart!
The Mobile ARTcart
Think Guerilla Art. You swoop into unexpected public spaces and facilitate art making for FREE!
1. Get yourself a backpack and fill it up with tons of art supplies.
Fill your backpack with:
- clipboards (give someone a clipboard with a piece of paper so they can do art anywhere!)
- paint brushes
- travel size shampoo containers filled with paint
- small water bottle
- small acrylic cup (fill it with water for the paint
- stack of paper
- markers
- pencils
- pens
- oil pastels
- plastic table cloth
2. Make a sign that says "Make ART for FREE!"
3. There are two ways to handle picking a location.
Either get in contact with local businesses and see if they are interested in offering art making for free to their patrons. If this is the plan, then advertise everywhere--Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, etc. The other way is to be totally guerrilla and just show up at a spot. Try the DMV, a bus stop, BART station....
4. Depending on your location, you may need a small table.
Sometimes if you are working with a local business they will be able to provide a table. In that case, use your table cloth so you don't ruin their stuff. If a table is not available use your clipboards.
5. Set up is easy.
Just empty your backpack, put up your sign and start making some art!
6. Start engaging with folks to make art for free. Ask passersby or patrons, “Hey do you want to make some art for free?”
7. Think of general starter question to give folks a jumping off point.
For example "What does home mean to you?" "What does social change look like?" and/or “What makes you happy?”
8. Document with photographs, video, tweeting, everything!
We would love for you to post your documentation to our Facebook page. Or be a guest blogger and write a post about your experience for our blog. Send it to artismoving [at] gmail.com with some photos and we will post it on our blog. We are always happy to hear stories about random acts of art making!
Expanding the Mobile ARTcart!
You will need to expand your Mobile ARTcart when you are traveling to events that attract more than 100 people. Connect with local non-profits and businesses to hire you to bring the ARTcart to their events.
Follow all of the steps under The Mobile ARTcart and add a few more!
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1. Submit a proposal to an organization with a budget. OR if someone calls you, have them fill out an ARTcart order form. You need to know how many people are expected to attend so that you know how many supplies are needed. About 0.25 per person for supplies is a good estimate.
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Make a bigger and longer lasting sign that says "Make ART for FREE!" You can make a really sturdy and professional sign for under $40 if you use two 18 x 24 inch canvases and connect them using hinges. Then paint the canvas and you have yourself a sign!
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Depending on your location, you may need a small table. Ask for the organization you are working with for a table and chairs. Also, HERE is a small and light weight table to give you an example of a mobile table.
Pushing the ARTcart!
Dive in and apply for a grant! Build a pushable ARTcart, fill it with art supplies and stop it on random street corners and let passersby make art for free. Connect with a local gallery or non-profit to exhibit the work you collect at your ARTcart. Invite the community to see what they have created together!
1. Apply for a Grant.
(This is the HARDEST part of a large art project). The rest is FUN! Here are a few websites to visit to learn about applying for a grant.
The place to start is with your budget, then you will know where to apply.
Sample budget from one of our ARTcart Grant applications:
| Vendor Cart | $2000 |
| Archival Paper | $400 |
| Acrylic Paint ($77 per 32 oz. x 18 jars) | $1386 |
| Paint Brushes of Various Sizes | $228 |
| Pencils ($24 per set x 3 sets) | $72 |
| Foldable Table | $75 |
| Chairs | $112 |
| Artist Fees ($30 per hour) | $5460 |
| Total: | $9733 |
That will give you an idea of where to start. You will need to supply a more detailed Artist Hours section. Now, on to write your proposal!
2. Advertise!
When you have the funds are squared away, start advertising!!! Start a website, blog, facebook page, twitter. Come up with a schedule for you ARTcart and the location for each date you will be out. That way you can tell people in advance where you will be. (We discovered that people always wanted to know where we would be the next time we were out).
3. Fill up your ARTcart!
4. Get to the streets!
5. Team up with a local gallery.
Find a gallery or non-profit organization in the neighborhood your ARTcart is offering art and ask them if they are willing to display the art. As soon as you find a place, start spreading the word. Tell all of your ARTcart visitors, follw step 2 again and Advertise, Advertise, Advertise.