You may know Kristine Schomaker as the creator of Shoebox Arts, an inclusive arts community that includes Shoebox Projects exhibitions, mentoring artists throughout Southern California and beyond, and Art and Cake, digital publication you’ve likely read along with DiversionsLA.
Now Schomaker has begun a joyous new project for her, January Arts, a nonprofit she originally conceived of in 2018, and is bringing to fruition now, with a launch party that includes a small works fundraiser this Sunday, August 18th at the Moonhuts in Los Angeles from 3-6 p.m.
The nonprofit will serve as a hub, a facilitator, a connector, an introduction to the art world—the place where any artist can find mentorship, professional development, exhibition opportunities, critique groups, professional speakers, workshops, tools, and more.
As Schomaker says “The world is in a wonky place right now, but I knew I could help artists keep going: I’m a good cheerleader, advocate, and facilitator. While I’ve been doing this work for a decade through Shoebox, I’ve been itching to reach a wider audience. Now, through the tax-deductible nonprofit, we can apply for grants and fundraise to bring more support to creatives; with January Arts, I’m better positioned to offer my experience, knowledge, and passion to those who wouldn’t otherwise have access to support.”
She visualizes Shoebox “evolving into the more holistic platform that is January Arts. I am excited about January Arts being a hub of artist resources, where artists from all over can find whatever help they need.” Her board members were culled form diverse backgrounds in business, journalism, artist support, technology, and finance, among others.
She stresses that she wants “January Arts to be a platform where artists can find community, learn to network, and achieve their goals, whatever they may be. I also want it to be a place where any artist–regardless of career level–can realize that there are opportunities available to them. We know how hard it is to be a creative: trying to be vulnerable and put yourself out there can be an emotional rollercoaster. We want artists to know that they aren’t alone. Their story is our story. I also want January Arts to bridge the gap between artists and their needs, both material and otherwise: We have resources for graphic design, printing, framing, shipping, taxes, workshops, classes, art supplies, self-care, organization platforms, mentorship and more.”
According to Schomaker, “Once we have a bit of history under our belts, we will be applying for grants. The Launch party will feature a small works exhibition where all work is $100. We are also accepting donations on our website www.januaryarts.org. All donations are tax deductible. Fundraising will be key to providing unencumbered support to all artists.”
January Arts will officially launch on September 1st. “When you sign up through our artist membership, you have access to an abundance of benefits, including group zoom meetings three times a week: on Mondays we hold open forum Q&As; on Wednesdays we hold a book club; on Thursdays we hold co-working sessions where we all log in and work separately, using the energy of the group to finish the work we’ve been procrastinating on. We also hold a monthly meeting where we bring in an art world speaker. In the past we have had art writers, gallerists, curators, well-known artists, consultants and other guests,” Schomaker says. “Coming up we have someone talking about different technology that is available to artists to make their lives easier, as well as someone talking about licensing. Once a month, we also hold a zoom critique group. Each artist gets 10-15 minutes to share their work/projects and get feedback.” Additionally, she says “We have in person meet-ups at museums and galleries, too. Ongoing benefits include a call for artist list, an artist registry on the website, a private Facebook group, social media PR and more. Artists can check out our services as well as testimonials and FAQ on our website, www.januaryarts.org Artists can pay monthly, every 6 months or every year. We have been able to keep the fees lower due to donations and fundraising.”
The indefatigable Schomaker describes January Arts as “a passion project. It is a culmination of so many ideas coming together to continue supporting artists. In the future, we look forward to more collaborations with organizations and institutions. We look forward to expanding Art and Cake and bringing in art writer fellowships. We want to do more workshops with emerging artists and students. ”
And, she still dreams of starting an artist residency outside of the city, hoping to travel and share available opportunities with artists everywhere. “The internet and social media have opened up so many opportunities to artists, but it is still overwhelming. We want to be able to help artists navigate their individual path. We believe there is no linear or predetermined path for artists,” she attests.
January Arts Fundraiser August 18th 3-6pm
MoonHuts
5320 Valley Blvd LA CA 90032
https://www.moonhuts.com/
Catered by @district5kitchen
Small works exhibition, fundraiser, silent auction and more…
For more information, visit:
January Arts Small Works Exhibition
https://www.januaryarts.org/post/off-the-wall-small-works-fundraiser
January Arts Website
https://www.januaryarts.org/
- Genie Davis; images provided by fundraiser artists and Kristine Schomaker