The Tri-Cities is often dismissed as a cultural desert, by outsiders and sometimes by locals.This assessment couldn’t be further from the truth. Our community is rich with makers, musicians, writers, and creatives whose work, experiences, and perspectives deserve to be seen and celebrated.
This misconception stems from a real gap that Brendan Quinn, founder of Consortium of Magpies, is working to address. As Quinn explains: “I think the biggest issue we’re trying to address is that even though there are hundreds of amazing events happening in the Tri-Cities, no one seems to ever know about them. We have an incredible creative scene here, but it’s difficult to find and difficult to promote.”
Consortium of Magpies is a new arts nonprofit focused on connecting and uplifting the makers, creatives, and arts organizations in our community. Quinn describes the art consortium as “scrappy, unrefined, and incredibly passionate about people.” By building a network of support, Magpies aims to strengthen and promote the work of those already creating, collaborating, and driving the Tri-Cities’ creative energy forward. Quinn says:
A consortium is a collection of groups, individuals, businesses — people who share resources and work toward a common goal. Ultimately, instead of being a strongly centralized group like a theatre company or a gallery, we’re a strongly decentralized group that works to promote the efforts of folks creating art on their own.
While we’ll have shows, projects, and publications of our own, we’re thrilled to highlight the efforts of folks who are creating awesome things outside of Magpies. Our goal is to facilitate connections between artists, businesses, galleries, and patrons; but once that connection is made, we’re happy to step back and let folks flourish without us.
In the short months since the creation of Magpies, it has already garnered widespread support from local artists and arts organizations, indicating that Quinn’s instincts were correct — that this type of support has been greatly needed.
Quinn and his spouse, Sara — both active artists and passionate champions for all creatives in our community — began thinking about an organization like Consortium of Magpies in 2022 after Sara’s show I DON’T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS. Quinn says the show had a massive impact on the creation of Magpies:
I got to wander a room packed with people all experiencing this huge post-COVID, raw, emotional catharsis surrounded by dozens of amazing works of art. People kept telling me that this was the kind of show people who didn’t go to art shows ended up at, and were forever changed by. The show wasn’t passive; it gutpunched everyone who walked in and gave everyone such a tremendous feeling of community and love. I want to help make more of these events happen for people.
Brendan hopes that Magpies will flood our community with accessible art. He says, “I want to see art everywhere. Every wall, every office, every sidewalk. I want little art, temporary art, approachable art, and hidden art so commonplace it would be more difficult to find a space without it than with it.”
Consortium of Magpies has already created more opportunities for the public to engage with art in their everyday lives through #FreeArtFriday. Every Friday, Magpies encourages people to make art and hide it somewhere in the Tri-Cites, leaving clues on social media for the public to track it down!
Quinn would like to invite any and all artists to join the Consortium of Magpies artist registry, at https://www.consortiumofmagpies.org/artists. All makers, regardless of experience or of their own barometer of ‘success’ are welcome to join. He wants to emphasize that “everyone has a space here.”
Consortium of Magpies has two shows planned in the near future to be on the lookout for:
This Is Not Art (TINA) is a popup event focusing on non-traditional creative works from artists who have been told that what they’re creating isn’t art.
YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS is an evolution of Sara Quinn, Ashleigh Rogers, and Drewboy Creative’s I DON’T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS from 2023.
Calls for submissions are already out for these two shows. Check Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/consortium.of.magpies) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/consortiumofmagpies) for updates.
Ashleigh Rogers is an artist, art instructor, and facilitator in Tri-Cities, Washington. Her work explores the themes of connection and intergenerational stories through experimentation in painting, photography, installation, and sculpture. Ashleigh is passionately dedicated to facilitating accessible arts programming in her community.
Facebook: fb.com/AshleighRogersArt
Instagram: ashleigh.a.rogers
