Visual Art Center Begins Fundraising Campaign for Struggling Small Businesses

Crossroads Art Center (CAC) provides Richmond visual artists a portal to sell their artwork and promote their products and services. They sell local art through their brick and mortar store as well as online. This provides one stop shopping for consumers online making it quicker and easier for them to find the art they desire.

Recently, CAC has shifted to pushing online sales though they are continuing in-store services. They are offering curbside pick up and delivery in the area as well as shipping to clients out of the area. Unfortunately, CAC sales have dropped by 75%, but they consider themselves lucky to have held on to that 25%, given what they have heard from other galleries and art centers. While they had to furlough several part-time workers towards the beginning of the crisis, CAC eventually obtained a PPP Loan which brought those workers back on board.

CAC has placed a greater emphasis on social media presence and having an attractive, user-friendly website. Many of CAC’s artists were already using their website to sell online before the shutdown, but now more artists are beginning to understand the importance of online selling.

Many people think of Richmond as a town that supports the arts. Now, artists are getting together to support small, locally owned businesses. CAC is coordinating an effort to lend businesses a helping hand in this economic slowdown. They have recently created the ‘Small Business RVA Fundraiser’ to help others survive this crisis. Jenni Kirby, owner of CAC, explained that “local artists are creating or submitting pieces they already have in inventory that are associated with a small local business. [They] are selling the pieces online with a portion of the proceeds of the sales going to that business.” In April, they sold over $7,000 of art online just through the fundraiser. The artists are happy, the clients are happy, and the art center is selling.

Visit the Small Business RVA Fundraiser website here to support the artists, other small businesses, nonprofits and CAC. You can also visit their Instagram and Facebook pages @CrossroadsArtCenter, or sign up for weekly email newsletters to receive updates on different artists each week.