Upcycle, according to Dictionary.com, is a verb meaning “to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original.”
In so many more ways than one, this defines Utica Creative Reuse (UCR), a Mohawk Valley non-profit that started out in 2023 doing free pop-up community art activities. The local arts and crafts org has now upcycled itself, graduating from pop-up to permanent when they cut the ribbon on Jan. 21 to grand open their brick-and-mortar arts and crafts supply thrift shop and free community art workshop and event space at 734 Columbia St., Utica.
“Before this, we were popping up at different locations around Central New York, mostly the Oneida County Public Market at the Utica Train Station, but also at other events, such as the Clinton Arts and Music Festival,” said UCR Founder and Executive Director, Sarah Swann. “It’s great to have a central location.”
About Utica Creative Reuse
UCR is a nonprofit organization dedicated to diverting usable materials from the waste stream, such as landfills, and resell them to the community at a more affordable price point than new supplies, embracing a “‘”circular economy model.”
Proceeds from reselling art supplies support funding the organization’s community art programming, where creative materials are provided free of charge at their workshops and other art events.
UCR is “providing low-barrier access to arts materials, education, and a community space for artists of all ages and abilities to connect and create,” said Swann in a statement,” all serving the “advancing access to arts education in Central New York.”
Swann shares that, since founding UCR in 2023, the organization has diverted more than 11,000 pounds of arts and crafts materials from the local landfill and hosted more than 160 community events, serving over 2,500 people at locations across Central New York.
Now that the community arts org has hung its shingle on Columbia Street, it is focused on maximizing that space to accept donations of used and/or unfinished art supplies, resell them at their thrift shop, and invite the community in to engage in free arts events and workshops.
URC practices creative circularity in rescuing art supplies from local landfills to resell them to the community at more affordable prices than new – so those supplies fund the free community art events UCR hosts, or reuse and upcycle ( both reuse and upcycle those supplies.
Swann noted that people hate to throw art supplies away, either from sentimental value or concern about the impact on the environment.
“We’ve had a huge, positive, outpouring support from the community,” said Swann. “We’re excited to be able to partner with so many people to make sure nothing goes to waste. Everyone who comes looking is excited to find what they need at affordable prices.”
Meanwhile, Swann is still partnering with other community organizations to support art activities, such as the upcoming Munson Art in Bloom event. She hopes to expand the UCR’s volunteer capacity to both build the bandwidth of the permanent space, with continuing to do outreach and pop-up events.
Upcoming community art events, workshops at UCR
Swann shared that, this coming month, UCR will be doing an art workshop applying fabric decoupage onto cardboard boxes.
“People can reuse and upcycle cardboard boxes they’ve been saving,” said Swann, “while learning how to apply fabric decoupage.”
UCR will also be hosting a Sensory Playgroup for children using upcycled material, setting up multiple stations that engage participants in using different senses.
“It allows kids to explore and play with their senses and experiment with different kinds of arts and crafts,” said Swann.
Utica Creative Reuse ‘creation’ myth
Swann, a registered nurse with a background in community health, was seeking a break on the other side of the Covid pandemic from the healthcare field.
“But,” said Swann, “I still wanted to serve my community in some capacity.”
UCR did its first pop-up art event in Sept. 2023.
Swann did some research and did not find an endeavor same or similar to what she was imagining Utica Creative Reuse would look like.
“I personally find a lot of joy in art; I find it very therapeutic.” said Swann. “I thought this would be something that would be a real asset to the community.”
More information of UCR
A regular newsletter will be published on the UCR website, promoting upcoming pop-up events, as well as art education events and community workshops at UCR’s Columbia Street shop. Sign up on the website for a subscription to the newsletter to have it delivered directly to your email.
Donations of used/partially used arts and crafts supplies are accepted on Fridays during the UCR shop hours, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The UCR arts and crafts thrift shop is also open at that time, as well as Wed.-Thu., 3 – 6 p.m., and Sat., 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Art education events and workshops will typically be hosted during those operating hours.
Learn more about UCR’s activities by following them on social media. They host pages on Facebook Instagram @UticaCreativeReuse, and TikTok.
“Everybody deserves a chance to try art out,” concluded Swann, “and create something amazing.”
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Art supply thrift shop, free community art event space opens in Utica
Reporting by Cara Dolan Berry, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
