Last spring, Art 377 Augustana students hosted a pop-up on the campus Quad, where they showcased their artwork and invited both the Augustana and broader Quad Cities (QC) community to trade any sanitary items for physical art pieces. After the event’s success, the project grew into an official campus club, bringing the same concept to the Brew on Mar. 18-19.
Although the first official meeting of the club wasn’t presented to campus until the fall of this academic year, its official beginnings started in May of 2025.
For Let’s bARTer! President and senior Phoebe Fuller, the memory of this project was important to carry on after many of their classmates graduated last spring. Fuller said this made them want to take initiative and continue the project as something more permanent.
“It was an unspoken mutual agreement that I would be the president… I took it upon myself to get the club started,” Fuller said. “It was a really cool way to honor [my graduating classmates] because we grew really close during that time.”
As many artists price their work at higher costs to make a living, art can sometimes feel inaccessible to the public. This can especially be the case for college students who either focus solely on school and extracurriculars, or don’t make enough money at their jobs to afford art pieces.
Accessible art is the alternative, and bartering items can help build a community through creative exchange. Artists, non-artists and students who were curious stopped by the tabled event where pins, prints and coloring books were displayed.
This gave each member of the club an opportunity to see others interact with their work, showcasing a sense of support and community that brought people together.
“[Art] is really a community building kind of thing,” Fuller said. “We want to support artists by sharing their work, but we also want to support the community by allowing them these things that are often viewed as luxuries.”
First-Year student and Documentation Chair Emily Caruana said the event revealed how people connect with art in personal and unexpected ways.
“I hope that people gain a new kind of confidence… seeing all these different forms of art and seeing it doesn’t have to be super expensive… will give them a new confidence of ‘Well, I can give this a try [and] I can see what I can do,’” Caruana said. “I never want anyone to feel like their art is insignificant just because they’re less fortunate with money.”
The items that were brought to exchange included writing utensils, snacks, rings, keychains and little wooden sticks from the Brew.
The creative possibilities are endless when it comes to items to exchange because there is no hierarchical or tier system based on what art pieces people can get. Instead, the system works equally as one exchange per item, rather than being based on which items are more extravagant or expensive.
Depending on the item bartered, it may become a future art project for the club, a tool used during meetings or something given back to the Augustana or broader QC community.
Fuller said that growing up in Rock Island, The Third Place QC, a non-profit community center, holds a special place in their heart, so any clothing items will go there or to Augustana’s Campus Closet, while food items will go to Campus Cupboard. The group hopes to build stronger ties with local efforts by giving back to the community.
The connection gained through art can create a space for people to express themselves, relate to others and find meaning in experiences that may look different from their own.
“[Art] is a nonverbal way to communicate your feelings and express who you are as a person,” Vice President and First-Year George Young said. “Everyone has a different story to tell, and so when you translate that into art, it can also become so universal while still being so personal.”
As the club completes its first year, it is preparing for major leadership changes. Because Caruna and Young are the only executive board members not graduating this spring, the group faces challenges recruiting the next set of leaders.
“We need more people to show up to meetings, so we have more options… We want to grow in numbers [and] want more people who are interested in the executive board,” Young, who will be president of the club next school year, said.
Getting the word out there and hosting more events this school year is a top priority for the club right now. They also hope to host more themed-workshops in the future to spark people’s interest and expand the variety of art available.
No matter someone’s art background, the club promotes an environment where everyone is an artist in their own way and welcomes all to enter the space, raising awareness that artists and their art are diverse.
“Art comes in all different kinds of forms, and if you give it a try, you could find your niche,” Caruana said. To stay updated on Let’s bARTer!’s meetings in Abbey Studio 5 and upcoming events, students can fill out this form to be added to the club’s email list.