Try & Make is a new non-profit exhibition venue, art collective, and publishing outfit located near downtown Charlottesville. We are looking to create a space that will be both specific to the local arts community here in town, while also interacting with and participating in a greater artistic discourse at large. We are trying to generate a creative outlet for people who either may not have the resources to obtain an audience for their work, or who feel that existing institutional frames of distribution don’t really suit the work they are making. We hope to do this by making our own breathing, growing headquarters with open doors, easy communication, and big experiments.

Upcoming events:

Friday, May 1, 5 – 9 pm: “First Friday” opening reception for Ersatz, a new installation by California sculpt-master Andrew Herbig. Only night to meet and talk to the artist… come ask questions, explore the work, and have a nice chat. Free and open to everyone ever.

Saturday May 9, 7 pm – 12 am: Try & Make Grand Opening Benefit Party!

Open house — come see our space, and our installation Ersatz
Membership drive — join to support a new non-profit arts organization
Book release — we’re publishing a new book, the first volume (1 – 499) of all of Emily Dickinson’s poems translated into basic English sentences by local poet Paul Legault
Pay-what-you-want Object Sale — works by artists and writers from Charlottesville, Los Angeles, New York, and the rest of everywhere. Purchases of $10 or more come with a raffle ticket to win a free copy of Paul’s book, and unlimited karaoke.
Community Karaoke!! — starts at 8: free unlimited songs for members and donors ($1 a song otherwise).

Admission: free for members and young kids
$6 for non-members (goes directly to your membership fee should you choose to join.)
*Bring some extra dollaz to take things home with you…!

How to get involved?!:

For starts, we are launching an open call to artists and writers all over the world everywhere to send in a small drawing, piece of writing, photo, print, photocopy, poem, collage, cd, booklet, postcard, anything you’d like to make. All of these will be for sale to the public on a pay-what-you-want basis (for however much a person wants to donate) at our Grand Opening event on May 9. Try & Make members (all levels) will receive an e-mail with the entire list of participants in advance, and can choose works to reserve beforehand. Send us something!! Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist” or a “writer,” use this as a chance to be creative, to have an audience, and to help a new arts organization. Ask friends too– everyone is welcome.

You can either drop your entry(ies) by our space (608 Preston Ave.), or send it to our PO box anytime at:

1112 E. Market St. #22B
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Everything must be received by Wednesday, May 6 at 6 pm. We hope you participate, and to see you at the party!

Location: 608 Preston Ave. (next to Reid’s Supermarket)
Hours: Tues – Thurs 12 – 6
Friday 1 -8
Saturday 12 – 6
Sunday 1 – 5
(Try & Make’s programming is completely funded by donations and memberships. For more information on becoming a member / getting a great pencil, please see our site or e-mail jaymee@tryandmake.org. Send me an e-mail if you’d like to be on our mailing list. Thank you and see you all soon….!)

[pic from irrezolut]

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