MAMAView: Shop Small Buy Art
by Middagh Goodwin
by Middagh Goodwin
Shop Small Saturday is November 26th and I encourage everyone to continue the trend and Buy Local Art and Music for all your Holiday Gifts. Your purchases will help to keep our arts community vibrant and healthy. I want to challenge everyone who reads the ModestoView to go to a new local show this month. That would be over 150,000 additional attendees. 150,000 supporting local musicians, restaurants, bars and venues. At an average of $5 per person that would come to a $750,000(over 9 million a year if done monthly) supporting local musicians and businesses. What an easy and fun way to create and build a vibrant arts community.
So many of our area musicians have upped their merch game with T-Shirts to Skateboards. Pick up a Tee, CD and Patches, Horizon Point, Jeff Moore, and Aware all have new T-Shirts. Rockit Music Gear has tons of guitar straps, patch cables and more, locally made right here in Modesto www.rockitmusicgear.
I also encourage you to stop by and pick up a gift for yourself or a loved one from the Graffiti USA Classic Car Museum, you can purchase a T-Shirt and show your support or give a tax-deductible donation in someone’s name.
Check out the Black HeARTs Market on the first Friday of each month to find unique crafts and custom art by some of the area’s most creative. You will not only put a smile on the face of a loved one, but you will keep Art Alive.
Additionally, you can support the local arts community by buying gift certificates to your favorite cafes, restaurants and bars that host live music and act as makeshift galleries. So why not stop off at Ralston’s Goat, Queen Bean, and Contentment Brewing to name a few and pick up some stocking stuffers?
Don’t forget the Gallo Center, State Theatre and or the Prospect Theatre; all three are non-profits and have events scheduled throughout the year and tickets make for thoughtful gifts too.
Buying and giving local will make you feel fantastic, and you can be assured that your gifts will be some of the coolest under the tree. While you are out shopping for friends and loved ones, don’t forget to treat yourselves. Pick up some new music and art, get dinner or see a show when you are grabbing those gift certificates.
Sign your kids or yourselves up for some music lessons at one of the great local Music Schools, might we suggest VMI or GK Music?
Check out all the great local artists, crafters and vendors at ModShop in Downtown Modesto on October 26th.
If we all spend even a portion of our holiday gift budget with local creators, we collectively will become the largest endowment for the arts.
If we all spend even a portion of our holiday gift budget with local creators, we collectively will become the largest endowment for the arts.
