For immediate Release April 9, 2020
Contact: Jill Miller, Cupartners2020@gmail.com
Artists launch effort to aid small businesses
Some local artists put their creative heads together to craft a mutual-aid initiative to boost small businesses struggling to stay afloat through the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re calling it CU pARTners.
“Everyone is quickly learning that our small-business friends are suddenly operating in crisis mode,” said Jill Miller, Urbana artist-owner of Hooey Batiks. “It’s not always obvious to the public, but artists also function as small businesses,” added Miller, whose own livelihood derives largely from sales at local and regional art fairs — all of which have been shut down indefinitely.
“Until the spread of the virus is contained, all small businesses are in peril,” she said. “CU pARTners is our small attempt to do something.”
The initiative works by pairing each small business with a local artist to form a “pARTnership.” Together, the team offers a unique package for sale to customers and collectors. The goal is to give small businesses and their artist collaborators — or “pARTners” — the opportunity to generate immediate income for both parties. The content offered by each pairing varies. And each set of pARTners is forging its own operating plan, including payment, pick-up and delivery options.
The common link is that each pARTner contributes something of value in their collaborative package. Businesses may offer a gift card or certificate; business-logo T-shirts, bags, hats or mugs; or just about any other regular inventory item. Artists supply a limited-edition, exclusive work of art — anything from a numbered print or photograph to textiles, ceramics or even a series of original art.
The first pairing that kicked off the initiative links Hooey Batiks and Art Coop, an art-supply store in Urbana’s Lincoln Square Mall. Only 20 packages — a Hooey Batiks-design T-shirt featuring the Art Coop duck logo plus an Art Coop gift certificate — were initially available.”
“Art Coop co-owners Hilary Pope and Anna Peters really embraced this idea and flew with it, setting things up on their online webstore incredibly fast ,” Miller said. She also credited the community’s artists for their rapid response. “Many have volunteered their time, energy and talent to the collaborative effort, including EKAH and Ralph Roether, who contributed graphic design skills, and Melissa Mitchell, who pitched in with her wordsmithery and media relations assistance.”
The list of businesses and artists participating in CU pARTners is dynamic, Miller said, adding that she expects it to continue to grow. To date, Champaign-Urbana businesses who’ve formed pARTnerships include 25 O’Clock Brewing Co., Backyard Beauty, Circles Boutique, Furniture Lounge, Hopscotch Bakery, the Idea Store, Itty Bitty Bike Shop, Jane Addams Bookshop and Live Action Games. Among the artists are Eric Cain/Flatland Tattoo, Lisa Connery/Crass Stitching, EKAH/Steampunk Grub, Carol Farnum, Melissa Mitchell/ACME Elfworks, Lara Orr/Same Street Textiles, Lydia Puddicombe and Sierra murphy Art.
More information about CU pARTners can be found at https://cu-partners.com. To get involved, either as an artist or small business, contact Cupartners2020@gmail.com.
