A Columbus-based arts organization is seeking to support local artists and put money in the bank with a virtual fundraiser.
The nonprofit community arts organization Wild Goose Creative is hosting “Wild Art Columbus,” a virtual fundraiser Saturday supporting Columbus artists, and the organization will feature work from both emerging and established artists, according to the organization’s website. The event will include 66 artists and more than 130 pieces will be showcased throughout the evening, Lydia Simon, the executive director of Wild Goose Creative, said.
The fundraiser will take place on the organization’s public Facebook page where all works for sale will be posted, according to the website. The art piece will go to the first person to comment “SOLD” on the piece.
Simon said the featured art will include photography, paintings, ceramics and a few fashion pieces that will be displayed in groups of 20 to 25 every 15 minutes.
Each piece will be sold for $100, with half of the proceeds going to the local artist and the other half remaining with the organization, according to the website.
“Wild Goose always pays their artists, and we never ask them to do anything for free,” Margaret Wunderlich, curation chair and board member of Wild Goose Creative, said.
Wild Goose Creative’s mission is to build a creative community at the intersection of art, risk and meaning, according to its website.
“We have a really rich, long history of giving creatives the space and the support they need to make their dreams a reality,” Wunderlich, said. “It’s really that great kind of support network.”
Simon said the Wild Goose Creative staff was surprised by the success of its first virtual show of the year, which took place in May, and they are eager to do it again.
“We had a lot of good feedback from people continuing to refresh the page throughout the night, and there was a lot of great energy,” Simon said.
Wunderlich said the event has been more accessible than ever since it became virtual.
“Anyone could come, and it was people even from outside of Columbus that came and participated because it was virtual,” Wunderlich said. “It allowed a lot more artists to participate because we weren’t limited to what we could hang on the wall.”
The art show is an outstanding experience as a consumer because it’s accessible, affordable and displayed in a straightforward format on Facebook, Wunderlich said.
Wild Goose Creative’s “Wild Art Columbus” show will take place Saturday from 6-9 p.m. on its Facebook page. The organization has begun to preview some of the art pieces that will be up for sale on its Instagram and Facebook as well as on its website.