Support Local This Season!
November and December: The busiest time for big box stores all around the world. Where would they be without holiday shoppers? Probably still in business. But where would artists and small businesses be if they got the same amount of holiday shoppers? Probably a little overwhelmed at first but ultimately expanding to greater intrinsic and extrinsic capabilities.
Take a look at the top 7 reasons to support local this holiday season.
1. Community Character: every town has a ‘thing’. Something unique to them that draws tourists, students, and new citizens. To build a community requires countless different characters and reasons for being coming together. Art and small businesses play a huge role in how a place develops their character.
2. Keep your money in your economy: Remember that money multiplies. Buying a piece of art lets your neighbourhood artist pay for their dinner at a local restaurant. That restaurant owner can now go on to send their kids to summer camp. The summer camp counselor has a job for longer than expected. Invest your money in your neighbours.
3. Supporting a lifestyle: Artists don’t usually get to live off their art; however, giving an emerging artist a supplementary income may be a huge difference in their next bill to pay.
4. Save the environment: Yes. You read that right. Between transportation costs and packaging and mass producing and landfill waste, you’ll see that buying something handmade significantly reduces the impact on the environment.
5. Customer Service: Think back to the last time you went to a huge store and bought a décor item for your home. You probably went in, saw something you liked, bought it, and left. Have you ever purchased something out of a gallery or craft fair? You get more than a product. You get a personal connection, a story of how it’s made, ideas how to display it, and overall, a memory attached to your home.
6. Supporting People’s Happiness: Artistic motivations are usually intrinsic. The moment an artist sells their work (to someone that isn’t family or a friend) can be a little overwhelming. It’s a feeling of accomplishment and confidence. What a wonderful thing to take a piece of someone’s creativity home.
7. Diversity: Would you rather buy something for your home that 1000 other people have, or showcase something completely unique?
Before you start hunting those Black Friday Deals, take a moment to think local. Even if you can’t decide on a product to buy, chances are these places will sell gift cards too! Remember your co-worker that mentioned they were setting up at a craft fair. Check out our SMALL//works show, featuring 250+ local art pieces. Recall your cousin’s small business uptown. You can make an impact to a neighbour and to your community, all by shopping local
Support local with SMALL//works 2021! View SMALL//works art pieces here.
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