Artist and craft cooperatives help artists and makers sell their work and earn more income. By working together, members can share the costs of things they need, such as studio space, gallery space, retail stores, materials, and other services. This can make it more affordable for artists to create and sell their work. While these cooperatives are valuable to their members, they make up only a small part of the overall arts and culture economy.
Types & Examples of Artist Cooperatives
Studio co-ops
An artisan studio co-op is a cooperative in which artisans, craftspeople, makers, or artists share workspace, equipment, facilities, and sometimes marketing or retail opportunities. Members collectively govern and support the studio rather than renting space from a private owner.
Polka! Press is a cooperative of artists and designers that operate a shared makerspace. The co-op provides access to equipment for screen printing and individual storage space.
Fruity Ceramics Cooperative is a studio that is run by artist members that utilize the space, tools, and kiln.
Gallery Co-ops
An artist-owned gallery in which member artists collectively manage and govern exhibition, marketing, and sales activities. Gallery cooperatives are most commonly organized as producer cooperatives because independent artists use the gallery to market and sell their work.
Q Artist Cooperative is an artist-owned producer co-op drawing membership from Central Wisconsin. Q Artist Cooperative members own a gallery in downtown Stevens Point, WI.
Northwoods Pioneer Gallery & Gifts
Northwoods Pioneer Gallery & Gifts is an artist-owned producer cooperative in Northern Minnesota. Northwoods began in 1972 and is the longest continuously operating art and craft co-op in the state of Minnesota. The cooperative displays and sells products from 50 area artisans and the majority of the membership are talented senior citizens.
Online Co-ops
Online co-ops are a form of platform cooperatives where artists use digital marketplaces to sell their products.
Stocksy United is a stock photo, video, and illustration website owned and run by the artists who contribute to it. Instead of being controlled by outside investors, the platform is designed to support the creators who make the content. The cooperative focuses on authentic, high-quality images and videos created by real people. Because artists are members and owners, they have a voice in how the business operates and share in its success.
Artisans Cooperative is an online marketplace for handmade goods that is owned and by artisan members and supporter members. Artisans Co-op treats sellers fairly: transparent, community-written policies, and a simple (lower than Etsy) sales commission with no listing fees.
Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative is a worker-owned cooperative of artists, designers, and printmakers that collaboratively produce, distribute, and sell socially engaged artwork through an online store, wholesale distribution network, and collective creative projects.
Resources & Organizations Supporting Artist Cooperatives
The Cooperative Approach To Crafts. USDA, Cooperative Information Report 33, 2000.