ARTIST X COLLABS

VALU CO-OP is excited to launch a brand new initiative to provide a valuable income stream for freelance artists, illustrators, designers, and creatives.

Through Artist X COLLABs, we offer partnerships with artists and creatives to develop and launch new custom merchandise on artist-union-made ethical materials including t-shirts, tote bags, and fabric masks. Selected artists will be invited to partner with VALU CO-OP, creating a unique merchandise campaign on a cooperatively managed pre-sale funding platform.

Month long pre-sale campaigns will run with selected artists on one specific merchandise line. Once the artist has generated minimum sales to trigger a production run, VALU CO-OP will support partner artists with additional promotion and activation through our channels with ongoing coaching support through the VALU CO-OP sales team.

CAMPAIGN DETAILS

Invited artists will select a specific product to feature their work. We currently offer union-made t-shirts, artist-union made tote bags, and fabric masks. All of our products are ethically produced in Canada and sweatshop free.

Selected artists will be required to pay a $100 non-refundable deposit before beginning this work. Screen printing set-up fees are $75 per colour due at the time of the production run. 

This deposit covers the cooperative member wages in building the individual campaign including the graphics, text and images. We are working towards removing this financial barrier and providing additional support for artists as we recover from the impact COVID-19 has had on our cooperative.

CAMPAIGN COSTS & SALES INFORMATION

Each merchandise item has a different pricing model and minimum production run. 

We provide recommended retail prices, where each individual partner artist has the ability to set their own pricing. Any surplus from the sales go straight to individual artists. The entire goal of VALU CO-OP is to provide artists and creatives with innovative and flexible income opportunities to fund our careers and practices.

Production runs are only triggered when an artist hits the minimum sales target. The funding formula remains the same regardless of sales numbers. The more sales an artist generates the more income that is created. Here are some examples:

T-Shirt: Our average sales for artist t-shirt projects range from 30 to 90 items, generating anywhere from $600 to $1800 in income for the partner artist.

Tote Bags: Our average sales for artist tote bag projects range from 40 to 80 items, generating anywhere from $480 to $960 in income for the partner artist.

Masks: Our average sales for artist mask projects range from 40 to 80 items, generating anywhere from $400 to $800 in income for the partner artist.

CAMPAIGN TIMELINE

Selected artists will be invited for a one-on-one meeting with a VALU CO-OP member. Following this meeting, VALU will provide artists with design specifications prior to beginning work following a non-refundable deposit that may be paid by credit card or cheque.

Artists will provide VALU with the final print-ready images a minimum of two-weeks prior to campaign to the launch.

VALU will provide artists with social media recommendations. Artists are encouraged to make their own graphics, animations, or posts to engage their audience.

VALU will provide artists with item descriptions and design mock ups a week before the project launch. Artists commit to providing edits or changes a minimum of 3 days prior to the project launch.

Artists commit to make a minimum of 3 posts on social channels weekly during the campaign period in addition to a feature in their email newsletter or on their mailing list if they have one. VALU CO-OP will make weekly posts on social channels and feature the select artists on our growing mailing list.

For more information or to apply on the project

VALU CO-OP will be piloting the project in June, 2021 with 4 select artists. For more information about the ARTIST X COLLABS project, please contact orders@valucoop.ca.