What is Art Party?
Art Party is a humanitarian pop-up craft fair that strives to connect communities by collaborating with local artists, restaurant owners, and charities. Art Party turns restaurant space that is generously donated by local business owners into a locale for a pop-up craft-fair; in turn, Art Party donates 30% of all proceeds to the Art Department within the restaurant’s school district by purchasing supplies and materials necessary in maximizing a student’s creative potential. The other 70% goes straight to the participating artist. Art Party does not charge the artist any sort of application or table rental fee.
Why did we start Art Party?
Art Party was dreamt up under the belief that local communities ought to band together to lift one another up; we desire to help create a symbiotic relationship amongst local artists, businesses, and school systems.
As artists ourselves, we understand the value of having an accessible space to showcase and sell one’s work– many craft fairs require an artist to have means to such things as a car, table, tent, etc., as well as money to pay upfront for application fees and space rental; while galleries often necessitate that an artist have a notable résumé before being accepted into a show. We hope to bridge this gap by encouraging creatives at all points in their artistic endeavors to present their projects.
Furthermore, as previous, long-term employees in the restaurant industry, we have come to recognize a powerful avenue for local businesses to engage within the community it exists. Many restaurants are owned and operated by kind-hearted and generous people who care about the local populations, and want to be a positive part of its community. We want to help nurture that desire to output positivity by offering a practical and simple, yet effective means to be that good force in a community.
Meet the team behind Art Party:
Art Party was founded by two Boston-based creatives and friends: Madoka Fukai and Aja Johnson.
Madoka Fukai is a Boston-based illustrator and designer. She graduated with a BFA in General Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University in 2014.
Aja Johnson is an artist and designer living and working in Boston. Aja attended Pratt Institute and received a BFA in Art and Design Education with a concentration in Fine Art in 2002 .
Craft Pop-ups 