ArtUP Co-op connects local visual artists with local short term rental hosts; providing artists with a new environment to showcase their work, hosts with a financially accessible way to style their home, and guests with a taste of the city’s art scene that they are visiting. Ideally, we hope the project benefits artists, hosts, and guests alike. Here are our hypotheses:

1.     Hosts flourish when their listings are authentic and eye-catching, but it can take a lot of time and money to achieve this. Getting art on the walls needs to be easy and affordable.

2.     Artists flourish when their artwork is showcased to a fresh and diverse audience, when it is able to be viewed for an extended period of time, and when it is purchased.

3.     Traveling guests flourish when their experiences are unique and memorable. The opportunity to learn about a local artist and live with their work for a few days can help the visitor form a deeper connection with the city’s local art scene. Having an artwork showcased in an intimate home setting will provide the guest with a pressure free environment to view it and more time to connect with it.

4.     Overall, communities flourish when we pull together and look out for each other.

Though ArtUP Co-op launched in March 2022, our idea is still in the early stages of its development. We acknowledge there will be hiccups in this process and still consider the project to be in its experimental phase. We are using research methods to test our concept, collecting feedback and data, and implementing improvements where needed. 

Our process uses geography, price point, and design principles to filter to appropriate matches. The artists and hosts are presented with their filtered matches to view and sort through, and then decide which potential partnership piques their interest. When both the artist and the host show interest in each others' artwork and home, they will be matched! They will then get together to showcase artwork around the house. Though much of this process is carried out through an application, we are happy to provide further assistance in any way that we can; whether that be advising aesthetic collaborations or facilitating the meeting and hanging process. Following the meet up, hosts will update their online listing with photos that capture the showcased art. We will leave one small tabletop sign holder with a short bio of the local artist and a QR code. Then, we’ll give it at least 90 days to see what happens. During that time, guests can use the QR code to get in touch with the artist or buy the art directly through an online store. 

We are fully expecting some logistical bumps in this process and hoping we can figure them out together. Along the way, we will learn if any, or all, of the above hypotheses, are true.  Our research team will collect quantitative data on the guest experience, guest buying patterns, types of sales, types of buyers, and impact on the host’s booking rate and reviews. We will also collect qualitative data, like stories, complaints, and suggestions from the artists and hosts who participated. We are excited to work with you!

If you aren't a host or an artist and want to work with us, have suggestions or feedback for us, or have any questions; send us a message: