How to Get Your Art Into the Brooklyn Art Library
The Brooklyn Art Library is a really cool space that a lot of people remain unaware of. This is sad because it means that people are missing out on exploring great works of creativity when they visit Brooklyn. It’s also sad because there are a lot of artists out there who could have their work archived in this library and they don’t even know it. And guess what, you don’t even need to be a professional working artist with a body of work to get featured in this library. You simply need to participate in some fun projects associated with the library.
What is Brooklyn Art Library?
Just like the name says, this is a library for works of art. It was opened in early 2010. You can go here and check out scrapbooks and other forms of art that are stored here. The library is located at 103A N. 3rd Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. As of the time of this writing, the library is open daily with varied hours (such as 10 am – 8 pm on weekends). This is a really unique place that very few people have the opportunity to visit so it’s definitely something worth checking out if you get the chance.
Art House Coop Projects
Many of the works of art that are placed in the Brooklyn Art Library are the result of projects that are launched by Art House Coop. There are some really terrific things about these projects including:
o The projects are collaborative. Many, many different artists come together to participate in these projects. The projects typically tour the nation and then end up in the Brooklyn Art Library. In some cases, the projects may be digitized so that you can also access them online.
o Artists of all different levels participate in these projects. Amateur artists who have never had their work publicly shown before can participate in these projects as can working artists of all different levels.
o Many different mediums are accepted into these projects. Although the projects have themes and rules, they also allow you to apply these things liberally so that your own creativity isn’t quashed. This makes them great for the participants and also results in a varied body of work that is great for display at the Brooklyn Art Library.
How to Get Your Work Into the Brooklyn Art Library
If you want to have your work featured in the Brooklyn Art Library then you should participate in an Art House Coop Project. Doing so is simple. Follow these steps:
o Go to the Art House Coop website.
o Click on the dropdown box for the tab that says “projects”.
o Select the option that says “open for participation”.
o Find a project that you want to participate in.
o Sign up for that project. This typically involves a small fee with an added charge if you want your project to be digitized. The fee supports the project and the space.
o Complete the project, following the rules, and send it in by the deadline date.
o When the project goes to the Brooklyn Art Library, your work of art will be included.
Examples of Art House Coop Projects
The most popular Art House Coop project is an annual project called The Sketchbook Project. You receive a sketchbook from Art House Coop and fill it in with your creative interpretation of the theme that you have selected from their available options. You return the sketchbook and it tours galleries and art space around the country before finally ending up on display at the Brooklyn Art Gallery.
Examples of other recent and current Art House Coop Projects include:
o Pockets. Collect artifacts out of pockets to fill up twenty different categories and then submit them to participate in this unusual art project designed to end pocket clutter.
o The Fiction Project. This is similar to the Sketchbook Project but includes more opportunity to incorporate text with visual art in the work of art that you create to tour the country and live in the Brooklyn Art Museum.
o A Million Little Photographs. You sign up to receive a digital camera. You take twenty seven photos on that camera based on a theme. At least one of those photos will be included in the Photomobile, a library on wheels that tours the country.
Reasons to Participate
So why would you want to join these projects and have your work showcased in the Brooklyn Art Library? Here are some reasons:
o It’s a chance to challenge your creativity in a structured manner with a theme and a deadline.
o It supports a creative space that is unique and fascinating and contributes to the local Brooklyn culture.
o Having your works of art stored in a library is really cool.
Connect with Other Artists
The Brooklyn Art Library provides a terrific opportunity for artists of all kinds to connect with one another. The library itself is a great creative meeting space. People wander in there to check out the art books because they are clearly interested in unique art. Those types of people are always interesting to get to know. Additionally, you can connect with other artists because of the very nature of the Art House Coop projects. You can meet other artists at the events that tour the country. You can do an “artist search” on the site to find artists you like and see more of their work. And of course there’s always the option of connecting through blogs and Facebook interaction, both of which are available from Art House Coop.
