Local Art Plug Connects Artists and Musicians With Audiences Eager to Support Creativity
- published: 2024/07/10
- contact: NBDC Communications - Nebraska Business Development Center
- phone: 402.554.6256
- email: kjefferson@unomaha.edu
Omaha – Xavier Jackson has found a creative way to promote local artists and musicians by connecting them digitally and physically with audiences eager to support their work.
Jackson is the founder and CEO of Local Art Plug, a platform for artists and art collectors that launched online and now also has gallery and event space in the Flatiron Building at 17th and St. Marys Avenue in downtown Omaha. Jackson, who also is a writer, says the idea is to make local art more accessible while establishing an outlet for artists and other creative people.
“There is a direct benefit and impact from buying art from your community,” Jackson says. “It strengthens bonds, creates friendships and provides resources to local artists.”
The Local Art Plug website features photographic galleries of more than 30 emerging and established artists. Anyone interested in owning the art works may either buy them outright, lease them until they are paid for, or join a “rotation program” where the art is swapped out every three months. Prices range from $12 to $20,000.
There is a direct benefit and impact from buying art from your community. It strengthens bonds, creates friendships and provides resources to local artists.
Jackson says he would love to have area businesses join the roster of Local Art Plug subscribers and display the artists’ works across the city. He also is interested in connecting businesses and organizations with artists who would paint murals inside or outside area buildings.
He says a primary goal is to expose the diversity of local artists and musicians to a much wider audience. “We want to bring people out of their comfort zones and get them to explore a local art show or a local band,” Jackson says. “They’ll find out what a great experience it can be; fresh and exciting.”
Jackson says he has faced many challenges establishing Local Art Plug, from staffing and funding to raising awareness of the business. He invites interested persons to sign up online for emails. He says he has also begun writing articles and a “Sights and Sounds” column for the Flatwater Free Press.
His business received a boost in recognition and funding in July 2023 when he won the Midlands African Chamber Pitch Black competition. Local Art Plug received the $10,000 first place prize, and $5,000 by being selected the Investor’s Pick. Jackson has also been awarded a Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act (NSBAA) grant to further his company.
Along the way, he has used the Nebraska Business Development Center's (NBDC) free business consulting services, where Consultant Ola Babalola has assisted with market research and pitch prep. Most recently, Jackson has begun working with the NBDC’s APEX Accelerator program to determine if there are viable opportunities in government contracting.
Jackson says he has many more ideas that he hopes will promote local creativity, including partnerships to create internships, teach art curatorship and host a variety of art shows and musical performances. “Just as artists break through boundaries with their work,” he says, “we want to open peoples’ minds to the wide range of creativity that exists in our community.”