BEST PROMOTIONAL EVENT

“Re-Art Swap” Recycling Day

Absolutely Art
Meghan Blake-Horst
Madison, Wis.
www.absolutelyartllc.com
Year Established: 2005
Number of Employees: 5

What is an example of a recent, creative marketing idea that drew a crowd? We are proud to host our annual Re-Art Swap. We open up our backyard and put up more than 20 tables filled with amazing donations of art supplies. We tell participants that it’s “take what you’ll use and leave what you don’t want. It is not a one-for-one trade.” We collect swap items throughout the year and allow artists and teachers to take items they need. We also find some amazing items for our own store displays.

How do you set your gallery apart from the competition? More than 90% of our artwork is from the Madison area. I realized recently that this is the opposite of what most galleries do. Our connection to one of the largest “buy local” initiatives in the country proves our commitment to our community.

We also strive to have affordable, accessible work and a family-friendly atmosphere. We are located next door to a coffee shop, and we share a hallway and our beautiful backyard. We encourage our customers to walk around with their coffee and we have a space in our gallery for children.