Preferred Vendor: ArtLifting

We’ve partnered with national groups to offer exclusive discounts and services to become your FIRST EVER one-stop-shop in community based housing. Our Preferred Vendor Program is the only program in the HCBS service space designed to remove stress from providers and increase the ease of setting up new or existing community-based housing. We don’t just partner with anyone, we thoroughly vet and make sure they believe in the mission and communities they serve. Keep an eye on our blog for a brief look at who our preferred vendors are and what makes them a great option for any provider organization: Anybody who has ever been to a street festival or local gallery could probably tell you art can come from pretty much anyone, anywhere. With this in mind, siblings Liz and Spencer Powers set out to create ArtLifting, a portmanteau of the words “art” and “uplifting,” with the goal of showcasing the artistic talents of the homeless, disadvantaged, and developmentally or intellectually disabled individuals in the community. (Artist: Andrew Weatherly Painting: Blend It Together) Co-founder Liz Powers got her initial inspiration while teaching art classes in shelters and group homes in Boston. She was endlessly amazed by the artistic gifts displayed by the individuals that had been essentially unnoticed. A few short years later ArtLifting was born, opening up a steady stream of new opportunities for the artists, while simultaneously providing access to one of a kind and socially conscious art to consumers year round. (Picture 1: Co-founder Liz Powers. Picture 2: Artist Allen Chamberland & Liz Powers at the MFA event) In the two and a half years since its start, ArtLifting has seen incredible growth and features the exceptional work of 81 artists across the country. This past Memorial Day, four artists were featured in the main courtyard of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, exposing over 10,000 Boston residents to the genuine and largely undiscovered talent present in shelters and group home settings across the country. ArtLifting continues to grow and currently sells posters, prints, tote bags, phone cases and greeting cards that feature original art. Despite its rapid growth, ArtLifting maintains its initial mission of providing attainable opportunities, not handouts, for artists empowering them to sustain their own income and build confidence. Each piece of art is accompanied by the story behind the piece as well as details about the artist and his or her journey. 55% of each sale goes directly to the artist, while 1% goes to a fund which provides art supplies to therapy art groups around the country, creating a cycle of opportunity and empowerment. (Artist: Bill Flowers Painting: Study of Language Grey Yellow Blue) ArtLifting hopes to continue to expand its profile of artists in the future and employ talent to produce original art on a global scale. Simultaneously, ArtLifting will continue to educate communities about the stereotypes surrounding individuals in shelters and group homes. Make sure to follow their mission on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and see a sampling of some of the great art being created and the artists behind each piece. Learn more about ArtLifting by reading the latest piece on them from Business Insider.