October is a month for many things. It’s a time for foliage, hot apple cider, chilly mornings, and carving pumpkins. But did you know October is also the time to celebrate our local artists? 

Here in New England, we are blessed with a thriving local arts community. From painters and potters, to theatre companies and musicians, we have no shortage of local talent to celebrate. 

And that’s why October is the American Independent Business Alliance’s Choose Indie Art Month. It brings together organizations from around America to support their local arts communities. The goal is to create a ripple effect with economic and community benefits supporting the artistic community and coming right back in turn. Because when your dollars go to local artists, they stay within your community. 

But choosing indie art goes beyond just purchasing. There are so many ways we can celebrate and support local artists, from attending local fairs to taking in a show. We’re going to take a look at some of the ways we can honor the local artists who make our lives so colorful!

How to Celebrate the Arts

First, take a look at what arts opportunities are available in your area. The local chamber of commerce is a great place to start. Not only do they keep listings of traditional businesses, like ours, but they often include artisans throughout the region, as well. 

There could be furniture makers, sculptors, painters, musicians, glassblowers, and everything in between. If your local chamber doesn’t have resources like this yet, make a request and let them know how much you care about the arts. Check out Americans for the Arts for more resources that you can use to find and support local artists. 

Many artists today feature their work online. While some may have the funds to operate a physical, brick-and-mortar location, most make a living by selling their products on websites or at local fairs and markets. Though the farmer’s market season is dying down in October, the craft fair season is just starting. Look for posters or online listings of art fairs in your area. It’s a great time to get a jump on holiday shopping!

There is no shortage of opportunities to go out and find local artists to support. Every dollar you spend on a local piece of art is a dollar put back into your local community. And it can make a big difference when each of us takes part in these local efforts. As individuals, we can do this by purchasing products directly from artists. As businesses, we have a whole other level of opportunity before us. 

How Businesses can Celebrate Local Artists 

By celebrating local artists, businesses provide well-deserved publicity and financial support. At the same time, it’s a chance to actively inspire future generations of artists to pursue their craft. 

Still, how exactly can businesses invest in this part of the community? One of the easiest ways is to hire artists directly. Say your business has a wall that faces the street. It’s currently bare and you’re looking for a way to generate business without necessarily turning the wall into one giant advertisement. Hire a local muralist to create an attraction that’s more than just an ad—it’s art!

You see this in cities and towns across the United States. Often financed by businesses or local governments, murals are one of the greatest ways of showing the community at large just how much you’re willing to celebrate the arts. 

Sponsorship is another key way of celebrating the arts. You could purchase advertising space in a program or playbill. Or sponsor a season at a performing arts center. You could also make charitable donations to nonprofit artistic foundations, like Arts Alive!, a well-known uplifter of the arts here in New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region, where we’re based. 

The more vibrant a place’s arts are, the more likelihood of attracting talented candidates to enter the job pool. Because a community that fosters a rich culture is one step closer to a thriving local economy. So look for ways to get your business into the arts, whether it’s commissioning a mural, buying artwork for the office, or fundraising for a local arts organization. 

Here at Masiello, we’ve seen over four decades of artistic growth and discovery in the rural areas we operate in. From small performance companies in Keene and Brattleboro to the artists of Western Massachusetts, we’ve watched it grow. 

And we appreciate the powerful impact this has on bringing talented candidates to our area. So, if you’re looking for a job, give us a ring at 603-358-1000 or visit our offices in beautiful Keene, New Hampshire. We can’t wait to meet you!