Ninth in the series “Thoughtful Thursdays”

What is a co-op? If the hyphen is eliminated, it could be mistaken for a pen of poultry! In this context,  “co-op” is an abbreviation of the word “cooperative” and means a joint venture or collaborative effort.

In an area of few galleries and other places for selling artwork, artists often combine their time, money and art to create their own gallery. Everything is shared – the space, the expenses, the “sitting”, and many many decisions.

It takes a tremendous effort and a bit of luck to put an effective co-op together. The participants need to share a vision, to have approximately the same level of professionalism, and most of all, to have a leader or two, depending on the size. In all groups, there will be those who work their fingers to the bone, those who coast and all sorts in between.

A shared vision has to be addressed before anything else. If some envision a cute store full of unique tchotchkes and others want spacious white walls hung with a few knockout pieces, there will be conflict. If some think it should be open to any and all artists while others believe a certain level of quality should be maintained, there will be conflict. If some never notice dust and spiderwebs while others develop a twitch each time something lands on the countertop, there will be conflict.

There are those who want all types of art, others who only want 2 dimensional pieces. Some think a mix of styles is preferable, others want only representational, and some think that abstract is the only true art.

Regardless of the decisions reached about style, a compatible level of professionalism is necessary for retail success. There can be endless discussions of “art versus craft”, and reaching agreements on quality can almost require Solomon-like wisdom. If some art is clearly made by hobbyists and other is made by highly skilled practitioners, the difference will confuse the customer.

Personalities can make or break a co-op. To combine a large number of opinions in an orderly fashion requires a strong leader with good organizational and delegational (not a word, but you know what I mean, right?) skills. There has to be lists of tasks, assignments, goals and accountability for completion. Meetings need to be kept on subject and participants need to be kept on task, or things result in chaos.

Co-ops tend to be a bit fluid as artists grow and change. With the right mix of artists sharing a vision, a co-operative gallery can be formed for a season, or it can last for years.

These are 2 co-ops I belonged to in the past 2 years. The top one is no longer active; the bottom one is still going, but with a new mix of members than when it began.