Tell Yours.

Artist Stories by Atha is the culmination of Coco (Quinn Athapap) Maxwell’s time spent studying art history and working beside her colleagues that were burgeoning artists themselves. 

Maxwell found herself tremendously inspired by her classmates who balanced their studies with work and also trying to launch their artistic careers. Her vision was to support these artists by finding a way to increase their visibility without also adding to their workloads. Recognizing that cultivating a broad social network is key to an artist’s success, this project is driven by the goal of fostering meaningful relationships among these emerging creatives.

Our Mission.

Artist Stories by Atha is a digital platform that showcases curated collections of emerging artists. Our mission is to support artists by giving them an opportunity to formally introduce themselves to the industry. Instead of having to create their own websites or rely on gallery representation, Artist Stories serves as an intermediary between the artist and the public.

Our Purpose.

TO INTRODUCE: as emerging artists the participants haven’t had many opportunities to showcase their work, whether that be in exhibitions or art publications. Artist Stories gives them a digital space to display their work and offers a glimpse into their portfolios. 

TO CAPTURE: these collections are a digital time capsule; freezing an exciting moment in time when the participants were just beginning their careers. It offers a glimpse at what themes emerging artists were exploring in their cities and better places them in the canon of art history. 

TO CONNECT: Artist Stories creates connections by providing artists with a space to share their artistic practices. Clearly defining their creative identities encourages a deeper appreciation for their work, compels others to follow their careers, and increases their overall visibility.

FAQs

  • Each collection is centred around a specific geographic area and offers a glimpse into the ideas that are shaping the local art scenes. The collections consist of artist profiles that include a short biography introducing the artist, images of their previous works, and an interview that delves into their artistic practice. The interviews are the centrepiece of each profile because we want to capture an authentic moment that allows the artists to introduce themselves in their own words.

    Our first collection, The Paris Collection, will feature artists whose work explores themes related to how the city is responding to the climate crisis. These artists will provide a variety of perspectives that are represented through their artwork in many unique ways. 

    The Paris Collection will be released in Winter 2024.

  • Sharing is caring. 

    Fostering meaningful relationships is at the heart of this project, so the easiest way to support us is by sharing Artist Stories. Tell a friend, share a post, leave a comment; the more people involved, the further these artists will go. As the collections move from city to city, we want to immerse ourselves in each local art scene and build relationships along the way. Artist Stories isn’t just about supporting the featured artists; it’s also about encouraging a wider sense of community among creatives.

    Donations lay foundations.

    We are only at the very beginning of this journey, and as we work to get Artist Stories by Atha off the ground, there are of course start up costs. We have a fundraising goal of €511 EUR ($775 CAD), all of which will go towards launching Artist Stories and creating The Paris Collection. We are now accepting donations through our crowdfunding campaign which has a detailed list of expenses. If you’d like to partner with Artist Stories or provide an in-kind donation, you can also contact us here.

    Every bit helps and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has already shown support for Artist Stories. All of our supporters will receive name recognition on our website.

  • Since Artist Stories focuses on emerging artists, these profiles are designed to boost their visibility. The content is similar to what you might find on a gallery’s website for represented artists, but for these artists, opportunities for promotion have often been more limited.

    Our profiles aim to create a deeper understanding of their work by making it accessible to a wider audience. That’s why interviews are a central part of each profile—we want the artists to have the chance to speak for themselves and share their perspectives directly.