Imagine a group of folks who take artists out of backstreets and basements and introduce them to arts patrons and established organizations.
Imagine these artists getting paid for their work and giving back to Cincinnati. And imagine these artists staying in Cincinnati to grow their work as well as the arts and culture of the city.
Meet
Urban Impresario, two brothers and a former gallery director, whose plan is to do just all that and more. The group is a creative talent agency, which hopes to provide connections and opportunities for raw talent.
“In order for young artists to survive and thrive, it is essential to provide professional development and economic opportunities to these young creatives,’’ says Derek Peebles, co-founder of the brand new talent agency. “We want to serve as their mentors and managers and link them to institutions.”
Urban Impresario’s non-profit status is currently pending, but that is not stopping the group from moving forward at lightning speed.
Peebles and his brother, Domonique Peebles, and Cate Yellig, a friend and former director at the
Phyllis Weston Gallery, saw an unmet need and formally created the group earlier this month. They are kicking off their launch next week with an exhibit at
Switch in Over-The-Rhine.
The show — which is the first of a series dubbed "The Investment" - will display canvas and paper works from 13 young artists. The show will feature work by Max Unterhaslberger, a student at the
Art Academy of Cincinnati.
“I am proud to contribute to a community that has given me so much,’’ Unterhaslberger says.
Artists will receive 60 percent of each sale. The other 40 percent will go back to fund Urban Impresario, Peebles says.
Peebles, 30, says Urban Impresario has four goals: To provide performing and visual artist outlets to develop their talents; provide platforms for artists to become marketable; provide mentors and support for artists, and ultimately, to provide opportunities for artists to make money.
“We want to bring people in the arts together. We know that the more connected they are the more economically viable they become,’’ he says, noting that there is a $9 economic impact for every $1 invested in art.
The approach is not solely to introduce the larger community to emerging artists, but also to introduce artists to concepts that will help them enhance their artistic skills and bolster community-building skills – including engaging younger students. The group plans to partner with area schools to target at-risk youth.
“We are starting to discover that kids learn better from youth,’’ he says.
The show next week is just the beginning of what Peebles says he is confident will become a viable patch of Cincinnati’s artistic quilt.
“We want to build a platform for artists to be social entrepreneurs,” he says. “And we are excited to make this happen.”
Do Good:
• Attend the
launch party and urban-style art exhibition featuring 13 emerging local artists. Show is from 5-9 pm, Nov. 30, at Switch Lighting and Design store, 1207 Vine St.
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