Buying or renting art by Toronto creators just got a lot easier, if you know how to use the Internet.
A new website called OCAD University Artist Showcase now makes it possible for people to 'buy-or-try' artwork by students and recent grads of Toronto's foremost art and design school.
Made in partnership with Partial—an online platform aimed at connecting artists and buyers—Showcase stocks more than 270 pieces from 25 artists.
The site lets buyers browse a growing pool of paintings, photos, prints, and textiles, by scrolling through the directory of artist bios. Which artists get featured is determined by a jury from OCAD's Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers.
Clicking on an artist allows you to explore their pieces, which start at $80.
Payment plans and three-month rentals (which start at $25 per month) are also available, allowing people to "try" the artwork before deciding if they want it forever—which, for first-time art buyers, can feel less intimidating.
Millennials are no strangers to buying and selling artwork online (or anything else, for that matter), which is great for so many smaller-scale artists who, outside of pop-up markets, aren't usually afforded many other means of exposure.
On the heels of the MOEG closing, this new platform feels promising for both artists and buyers, especially with Partial's easy-to-navigate interface.
A website won't replace the dwindling number of IRL galleries in Toronto, especially those made for artists from marginalized communities, but some extra URL space doesn't hurt.
by Tanya Mok via blogTO
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