In a world where artists are often told to pick their passion or a paycheck, the Illini Art and Business Collective says artists can have both. 

IABC is a new RSO that connects art and business by providing artists opportunities to develop their business skills while also promoting their work to University students. Its goal is to help creative minds understand the business aspects of their work. 

According to its mission statement, many artists at the University need help finding a place for themselves in the professional world. IABC provides artists with business skills through competitions, applied programs, mentorships and more. 

Alex Chang, the founder and president of IABC and sophomore in Business, said he created IABC because his hobby in drawing led him to explore other aspects of art. 

“One of my main extracurriculars in high school was drawing,” Chang said. “I really like drawing. But I thought it would be cool to specifically have a club that kind of represents something beyond just art itself.” 

The club meets every Saturday at the Siebel Center for Design for a general body meeting. But these meetings aren’t like any regular meeting. At its March 7 meeting, members designed their own stickers. 

This meeting was a social event for everybody, not just members, to learn how to design stickers and bring them to life. Afterwards, they would sell them, giving artists the chance to share their art with other students.

Praise Shim, the design team leader and freshman in AHS, said this event has been her favorite so far because she gets to do the things she likes the most. 

“My favorite part is definitely working with my friends and the design part,” Shim said. “I also think it just helps with creatives having opportunities to design stuff or be involved with promotion, events, marketing and stuff like that.”

IABC hosts events like this so that it can sell as many stickers as possible on the Main Quad.

Amelia Carpenter, vice president and sophomore in Business, said sticker-selling events are also her favorite, even if there isn’t a huge turnout. 

“We didn’t make a huge profit,” Carpenter said. “But it was just fun to see what people would buy … It was a huge learning experience, so I really enjoyed that.”

With each event, the club learns more about how art and business work together.

Leila Zou, the events team leader and freshman in LAS, had some experience ‌partnering art and business before joining the club. Before coming to the University, she started an Etsy shop to sell her own streetwear clothing designs. She said her experience with Etsy drew her to IABC. 

“When I saw that there was a club that integrated art and business, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, wait, I’m kind of already doing that,’” Zou said. “‘Maybe I can see what else there is within art and business.’” 

For those looking to start a business like Zou, IABC can help. Although IABC doesn’t run businesses for members, it has connections, including professional artists, business mentors and industry experts. 

Carpenter felt similar to Zou. She said, as a business major, the idea of merging art and business was alluring. She also wants to help students grow as artists.

“I feel like art could be a powerful way to send a message, and I wanted to promote that idea, and also help people make their art career and expand professionally,” Carpenter said. 

One of the big ways IABC is helping artists put their message out into the world is through one of its biggest events yet: the Earth Day Contest. IABC is collaborating with the University of California, San Diego; the University of California, Berkeley and the Visionary Arts Art Studio to celebrate Earth Day.

The theme is “Earth Day Everyday: Small Actions, Big Impact.” 

The contest will feature 2D and 3D art, writing, dance, music and film. The first, second and third-place winners, along with the honorable mentions, will receive prizes and have their work displayed at IABC’s exhibition on April 18. They will also be recognized in the IABC and FAA newsletters. IABC hopes the exhibition will showcase some of the University’s best artists.

IABC has not announced the exhibition’s location at this time.

As a growing RSO, IABC is slowly making its mark, demonstrating the need for ‌art and business collaboration. The upcoming art contest is one way IABC is proving that art has value; by providing artists with portfolio pieces and a professional plan, it shows that artists can thrive in the professional world.

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