What’s The Art Thing!?
The Art Thing Collaborative is this hype new social arts org on a mission to bring people together by bringing art to the people! On street corners, in schools, at festivals, in parks, and yes… even on random Tuesdays. Wherever art is needed most, that’s where we show up.
So… What is The Art Thing?
It’s a lot of things, actually, all rooted in the belief that art belongs everywhere, to everyone.
It’s a Fun Thing!
Think less “art on the wall” and more “creative happening that’s totally fun for everyone!”
Our Art Things fill the room with playful energy that brings people of all ages and backgrounds together. From kids to grandparents and everyone in between, you are invited to jump in, cheer along, or just wander through something unforgettable that leaves everyone smiling.
Take our ART WAR™, for example: a live, high-energy, improv-style art showdown where teams of artists race the clock, tackling surprise creative challenges, while the crowd hoots, hollers, and sometimes even jumps into the action.
Or Positive Space, an all-ages experience where giant spheres transform the empty space around us into a play land of light and color, inviting everyone to explore how our presence and actions shape the world we share.
“Flippin’ awesome!” … “Felt like a kid again.” … “It was a blast!”
are just a few of the things real people said about Art Things.
It’s a Community Thing!
Think less “something to see” and more “something to share.”
We work with schools, libraries, and local orgs to create Art Things shaped by, and for, the people right here in our communities. Every project comes from your ideas, tells your stories, and is shaped by your hands, so they're someThing everyone can call their own.
We take many of our Art Things on the road, sharing them from neighborhood to neighborhood, connecting town to town, creating a bigger sense of community throughout the entire Mohawk Valley.
Sometimes this looks like us pulling up with a community to transform a blank wall or public spot with a one-of-a-kind Art Thing, like the Buttermilk Falls sculpture we're building in Little Falls, or the Stone Soup mural we're creating in downtown Herkimer. (You’re invited: don’t miss our MVG Pledge Party on Sept. 15, 5–8pm at Stone Soup in Herkimer. Come support + watch the mural come to life right before your eyes.)
Other times, it’s about bonding over the little everyday Art Things we all do. Like For the Love of Pets, our ongoing, community-powered cell phone photo exhibit where anyone can send in a pic of their beloved pet and instantly become part of a growing community gallery that will travel across the Valley.
It’s the kind of thing people talk about long after it’s over:
"...such a fun and unique experience that brought creativity and community together in an exciting way."
"Events like this really showcase the talent and passion that exists in our creative community."
"A real sense of community. It was fantastic… We look forward to your next event!!”
It’s Your Thing!
The Art Thing doesn't happen without YOU
The mural Thing livening up downtown. The Art WAR Thing turning strangers into teammates. The Positive Space Thing bringing out the kid in all of us. All those Things and more are happening because people like you decide that our Valley should have more Art Things like that.
When you give to The Art Thing Collaborative, you’re not just buying paint or covering costs, you’re creating the next Thing… and the one after that… and the one that might change someone’s life forever.
We call ourselves a Collaborative for a reason: this isn’t just our Thing. It’s your Thing too!
Every dollar you Give brings more Art Things to life, for more people, in more places in the Valley we call home.
Help us bring more kids, more families, and more communities together thru unforgeable Art Things that turn our shared spaces into shared experiences.