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Artpod: Small art raises big bucks

Folks in Saline have sold art to raise $100,000 over seven years, and all the money goes to an area nonprofit.
Dani Davis
Folks in Saline have sold art to raise $100,000 over seven years, and all the money goes to an area nonprofit.

On today's installment of Artpod, we hear how artists use their talents to raise money for a local nonprofit.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-968591.mp3

People don’t often think of “art” as a money-making endeavor, but a group in Saline, Michigan is proving otherwise. Their story is about taking little pieces of art and turning them into big money makers. And all that money is being used to help feed hungry people in Washtenaw County.

Here's an excerpt:

Sculptor and painter Valerie Mann came up with the idea for the art show seven years ago when she was wondering how she could help people in the area who were struggling economically. She bounced the idea off her friend Peter Bowe, who co-owns the Saline Picture Frame Company.

The two friends figured they knew a lot of people who made art, had a cool space (the frame store) and had the tools and materials to mat and hang works of art. So they asked folks to donate small pieces of artwork like a sketch they’d already done, or something that wouldn’t take too much effort to produce. In seven years, they’ve made $100,000 and all the cash has gone to Food Gatherers, a non-profit that feeds people-in-need in Washtenaw County.

Jennifer is a reporter for Michigan Radio's State of Opportunity project, which looks at kids from low-income families and what it takes to get them ahead. She previously covered arts and culture for the station, and was one of the lead reporters on the award-winning education series Rebuilding Detroit Schools. Prior to working at Michigan Radio, Jennifer lived in New York where she was a producer at WFUV, an NPR station in the Bronx.
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