Works for sale at the market include Dan Gardiner’s “Forward.”
Corporations may or may not be people, but they can certainly be patrons of the arts.
Getting them to see that is the primary goal of an art market, Dane Arts Buy Local (DABL), now in its fifth year. The next event takes place Oct. 18-19 at Yahara Bay Distillers in Verona.
The market was created as a business-to-business event, but it is open to the public. More than 400 people attended last year. The event also includes workshops for artists, focusing on marketing.
“I’m trying to show how art is impacting in every arena, and visual arts particularly in the business arena,” says Mark Fraire, director of Dane Arts, the county’s cultural affairs commission.
Dane Arts Buy Local was created after Fraire met with curators at Epic Systems Corp., well-known for its extensive art collection. The Verona-based healthcare information technology company annually makes large purchases at Madison’s art fairs, on and off the Square.
“I’m excited because I don’t have as many business-to-business connections as I would like, and that is what this event is all about,” says woodcut artist Sara Meredith, who will be exhibiting at the DABL market for her first time. She’s previously taken many of the accompanying classes. She says the classes helped her learn what artists need to do to thrive as small business owners. Classes this year include Demystifying the Grant Writing process, “Artpreneurs” Selling Business to Business, and Business Planning for Artists.
In addition to Epic, Fraire notes that Promega Corp., a global biotechnical manufacturer based in Fitchburg, hosts regular exhibits and purchases artworks.
“They are fine examples of having art available that allows creative people to do creative work: scientists, software engineers,” says Fraire. “Business leaders understand the dynamics and value of the arts and what they do, not only for their clients but also for the employees themselves.”
And art is an industry itself, he notes, with an annual economic impact in Dane County of more than $250,000.
Twenty-two artists will be represented in the market, but all who applied may attend classes for free.
Eric Tadsen
[Editor's note: We corrected the spelling of Sara Meredith's name in this version of the article.]
