Vital Spaces opens first Community Art Closet

 Around 200 people, including families, single individuals, young and old, come through to receive and donate art supplies at Vital Spaces' Community Art Closet on Jan. 23, the first of what will be a monthly program to provide free art supplies to the community, particularly youth and families.

Community art closets are like food pantries but with art supplies instead of food. Vital Spaces' new program, driven by a belief that art and creative expression should be a right for all, not a privilege, will be stocked with a range of art supplies for all skill and age ranges, including coloring sheets and activity prompts for younger artists from partner arts organizations.

Based on the success of its first Community Art Closet, where they gave away most of what they had in stock, Vital Spaces is already working on restocking for next month's event, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you have supplies to donate, drop them off on Thursdays from 2-4 p.m. at Vital Spaces, in the SW Annex, Midtown Campus, 1600 St. Michael’s Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 (on the campus of the former Santa Fe University of Art and Design). They accept new or gently-used supplies, as well as other materials that could be repurposed for artworks. Organizations and individuals may also participate by committing to a monthly subscription or one-time donation of money or art supplies. Every dollar donated goes towards purchasing art supplies – none towards administration or overhead.

And stop by to pick up free art supplies for yourself and your family on the third Saturday of each month! 

Vital Spaces is a Santa Fe-based 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to sustain and enhance Santa Fe's cultural vibrancy by creating affordable spaces for artists working in all media to create, present, connect and teach. Their focus is on fostering a collaborative creative community and supporting people, ideas, and art forms that are underrepresented in Santa Fe's commercial art scene.

The Vital Spaces Team - Raashan, Rica, and Hannah - extend their thanks to the Santa Fe Children's Museum, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Meow Wolf, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Kathryn O'Keeffe Foundation, and the Kind World Foundation, and individual donors, and "to all you artists out there who have been itching to make art and inspire us."