ONLY 9% OF MFA GRADUATES ARE ABLE TO LIVE OFF OF THEIR CRAFT.
OF THIS SMALL FRACTION, 81% IDENTIFY AS WHITE, MALE, NON-LATINX.
CEREUS ART IS DISRUPTING THIS.
Our priority is equity. The expense of pursuing a traditional academic degree can further exacerbate existing socioeconomic inequities. We collaborate with artists from communities most often absent from the marketplace, whose work represents and reflects marginalized narratives.
We begin by working with artists as partners, supporting the development of their careers by offering critical business education and mentorship opportunities. Through online webinars, artists are connected with experts in business, legal and marketing, as well as like-minded contacts in the art world.
Through a reimagined sales process, Cereus Art prioritizes the artist: providing a platform to connect artists directly with buyers and collectors while they retain control over the conditions of the sale and its profits. We seek to create a more equitable platform from which artists can maximize their financial potential, and thus supporting their ability to continue creating and advancing their practice. By promoting artists’ autonomy and power throughout the entire sales process, we support them in realizing independent success, on Cereus Art and beyond.
OUR GUIDING VALUES
It is imperative that we invest in artists as future creative leaders and empower them to monetize their practices.
We believe in the cultural currency of art, and pricing our work accordingly.
Marginalized and underestimated communities’ narratives are not equally or authentically represented in our normalized societal consciousness and memory. We believe it is imperative to amplify the voices of artists whose work explores these themes and stories, and provokes critical thinking, self reflection, and self determination.
We believe that artists have the gift of encouraging us to question our own beliefs and assumptions, opening our minds to alternative possibilities. They are storytellers who help us better understand humanity and ourselves.
We are committed to working with artists whose work reflects the nuances and complexities of navigating our historic present.
We believe in using our platform no matter how small or large, to combat structural inequities.
WHY CEREUS
Cereus gets its name from the Night Blooming Cereus, a genus of cacti whose flowers bloom by midnight and wilt by dawn. They are pollinated by moths, with many species only opening their petals for one night a year, making them an object of wonder for those who seek them out.
Much like this unconventional flower, Cereus functions in opposition to the typical art marketplace: serving to empower artists rather than make a profit off their labor.