Learn more about AP’s Mail Art Subscription>>

From the site:

In conjunction with “Printed Matter,” and in honor of our fiftieth issue, we want to encourage you, our readers, to think about the value that exists in both the undifferentiated and ready access to information, ideas, and archives that online publishing grants and about the intimacy of a hand-addressed envelope intended for a single individual. In some sense, to consider how Art Practical might arrive in your mailbox.

This year we combed through our back catalog and picked out what we think are great gifts for your hard to shop for loved ones.  These people don’t fit into categories most often associated with gift guides, so we thought we’d give them a little love.  Hope you enjoy it.

If infographics or spreadsheets are your lover’s passion, this poster by Ingrid Burrington may be a good fit.  Parsing out  Missed Connection Posts in New York City, this hand silkscreened poster is fun for everybody to read.   At only $20, it’s a steal. >>

You know the type.  While others check out the bar at a party, you find him at the bookshelves.  $65 >>

If the person on your list most enjoys walks in the woods or staring into a fire, this might be the present for her.  Presley Martin’s performance leads us gently into a place where we can let go and let the forces of nature do it’s bidding.  $55 >>

Does this person constantly keep you updated about the latest in tablets, phones and other gizmos?  Then this piece is for them.  Aaron GM’s interactive video will keep them guessing technically and fill their minds with a whole new meaning of data overload.  $75 >>

This do-gooder has asked you to skip material gifts this year.  A membership to Art Micro Patronage fits this bill quite nicely.  Not only are you giving the recipient a 6 month pass to experience all sorts of innovative digital art, but you’re also filling the stockings of a whole slew of artists to boot.  $60 >>

Always on the lookout for interesting classes, museum shows, and new experiences, this person loves to learn about the world and the creative people in it.  A subscription to The Present Group Art Subscription Service gives them food for thought throughout the year, filling their life with wonderful works from artists of all varieties.  $150 >>

Here’s another!  Project Dispatch was started in the fall of 2009 and is run out of DC by two Corcoron graduates: Chandi Kelley and Rachel England.  They were looking for a way to create a small revenue stream for artists, but it sounds like the project is more about mandating the artists to continually make small works and get their work out to a broader range of people, creating a new group of collector/artist relationships.

It’s a slightly different version of the subscription art model.  Subscribers choose not only the price point they want ($25/50/75 per month) and the number of months they want (3/6/12 months), but they also choose from the group’s current list of 21 artists to get all their works from.  They do, however, have an option to randomly get work from a different artist each time.  Then on the artists’ side, they get a list of people to make work for every month and the artists are responsible for sending out the artwork to subscribers.  The Project retains 10% of the sales, but passes on the rest to the artist.  Artists pay a small membership fee of $18/year to be listed.   It is fun to see how flexible the subscription art model can be.

LxWxH is an art subscription project founded by Seattle artist and curator Sharon Arnold, which came out of the idea that (perhaps in the tradition of local agriculture movements) art should be sustainable, and accessible. Similar to the Art in a Box and Community Supported Art models of subscription art, each issue is one box containing two pieces by two artists, but they have the bonus of a short essay by a local writer.  Artists have the option of creating either editions or individual works for each box.

Subscriptions are $700 plus shipping, or $130/backissue plus shipping.
Seems to be a trend of art subscriptions getting more expensive as people figure out the best way and most sustainable ways to keep the practice going…

Included in the monthly box:
2 signed and numbered original works of art by contemporary Chicago artists (6 total over three months)
Coupons and ephemera from local artist-run and creative businesses
Essays contextualizing the work

They will be having a launch party on April 30, 2011, in conjunction with Art Chicago/NEXT Art Fair from 6 to 9 pm. The event will feature food, drinks, music, the 1st editions of all 12 works for auction and a chance to meet participating artists.

There is also a special deal if you sign up before April 30th ($50 off)

Collectors will have the opportunity to pick up their newest acquisitions at the bimonthly CSA pickups and listen to a talk by the month’s artist. These events will be held in conjunction with that month’s Sunday Soup to augment that evening’s programming.

At the end of the second year there will be a retrospective gallery show at The DAAC featuring each of the 12 works commissioned by the Risograph CSA Project.

Unfortunately they don’t seem to have a website or they are not quite up and running yet.

Nava Lubelski is using the new “Kickstarter for Artists” called United States Artists to make another machine embroidered piece like she did for the (sold out) TPG15. You can bid to receive one of the edition for only $150.

She is also showing in Santa Monica at Luis de Jesus in March and in Raleigh at Artspace in April.

Jen Susman

Jack Leamy

Emily Dippo made viewers that correlate with walks around the city “to encourage wonder while experiencing the city”

Kim Cook made water bottle backpacks and drawings of their (impractical) usage

Ashley Harris

Exciting!  Another player on the subscription scene, St. Paul’s Springboard for the Arts and mnartists.org have teamed up for a hyper local version of this idea to support local art, artists and collectors.   Over the course of 3 months, collectors will receive 3 boxes containing (I think) three works each.  There are 9 artists who will be commissioned to make an edition of 50 and the cost for a share is $300.  It is pretty exciting to see that their network is so involved that they sold out in less than 12 hours!  And they are already taking reservations (for a $100 price) for the fall season.  Similar to Art in a Box, they will have local “Pick up Parties” at different art organizations, furthering the feeling of being part of a community.

From their press release:

The goals of the CSA program are to support artists and to create a community of engaged local arts supporters.  CSA supports artists: in the creation of new work, to establish relationships with local collectors and patrons, and to participate in the launch of an exciting new model of art support and distribution.  CSA Share member benefits include multiple works of art from local emerging and mid-career artists at a fantastic value! Additionally, CSA Share members have the opportunity to develop relationships with the local artists and art community, discover new artists, explore a variety of disciplines and support artists’ careers and a vibrant community.

We’re honored to be included in this roundup by Emilie Raguso of Oakland Local of Art Subscriptions in the Bay Area.  There’s starting to be quite a number of us! It is really wonderful how this idea is spreading, and people are making it their own.  Thanks to Emilie and Oakland Local, and Welcome to any new visitors!