Last month, the week just before Halloween, CU Denver’s Arts Practices Club transformed Lawrence Street Mall into a lively artist alley with its semesterly Art Market. Starting back in 2022 and organized as a student-led fundraiser for the club, the event has since grown into an anticipated tradition, one that draws in students across campus and the greater community. 

Under a canopy of autumn leaves, all the tables for the art market were lined up in rows and individually decorated by each of the vendors, making it easy to see the different artistic personalities that showed themselves through their work. Many of the booths sold items like prints, stickers, or keychains of fanart and original work, among other handmade items, such as press-on nails, bracelets, and charms. The combination of vendor personalities, the market’s convenient location on campus, and creative energy all helped to build excitement for its next iteration in the spring semester. 

When asked about the reception from the broader community, Arts Practices Club president Nech Demond emphasized the overwhelmingly positive response. According to Demond, the market consistently draws curious visitors from students, faculty, and other community members who stop at tables, interact with vendors, and genuinely enjoy the variety of student work that’s on display. This is an energy Demond says shows how “community brings people together.”  

For many art students familiar with the convention scene in Colorado, the Art Market offers not only a place to showcase their work but also valuable professional experience. According to Demond, the experience of selling work publicly is invaluable, stating, “Vendors get to sell their work, and that alone is a huge benefit [and] opportunity,” further explaining that selling work publicly teaches students how to curate their displays, manage a table, and interact with customers; skills that will carry over to future markets and larger events. The Art Market is an event that offers a rare, low-pressure introduction to the realities of vending in a public space. Even for students who are not part of the club, the market brings something distinct and exciting to campus life. Demond noted that the event gives attendees a unique, “convention-esque” atmosphere where students can interact with one another and meet new people. They mention that, in their opinion, “it’s so important for people to engage in artistic conversations, whether that be creating the work or viewing it.” 

Artists vending the market shared this sentiment. One of the artists, Aubrianna James, said that the event helps spotlight student artists in a way the typical campus vendors don’t, expressing, “Most of the vendors we usually see on campus are food trucks or people selling old clothes, but the art market features arts and crafts made by students only. It’s a great place for students to gather and bond over art and common interests.” Another vendor, Marissa Lee, noted that they appreciated how the market allows artwork that might not appear in more formal gallery spaces to really shine, and “on top of that, you get to meet so many new people even outside your normal circle or major.”

When asked about particular moments or interactions that stood out to them, Aubrianna described the excitement of meeting people that recognized the characters that are featured in her fanart as well as the fun of explaining it to people who didn’t, going on to say that it made her really happy to see people react so positively to her work. Marissa described a similar experience: “Interacting with people was great,” especially with visitors that shared their enthusiasm for more niche characters from the fandoms featured in their work. With both artists, the moments of connection to peers that came with participating in the art market are what made it feel special, with small meaningful exchanges making their work feel valued. 

Since its introduction, the Art Market has continued to evolve, with Demond noting that preparation and organization have become much more refined since it was held last year, such as  hosting a workshop for vendors that hadn’t participated in any of the prior markets. In addition to this, the Art Practices Club helped prepare students by creating an online document students were able to access that included different printing resources, contact information, and a general Q&A about participation. Looking ahead to next semester, Demond is already planning improvements for the next iteration, saying they’d “really like to set the market date months in advance so vendors have more time to make artwork,” further encouraging that they’re already thinking about announcing a date for the one occurring in the spring.  

Some students’ perspectives on their work were also influenced by preparing for the market. Aubrianna shared that creating new pieces built her confidence, especially after the success she had last year: “I went into my work this time with more confidence than before, knowing that people liked my art enough to spend money on it,” saying she’s really grateful to have this opportunity to do so. As an artist that also vends regularly at local conventions, Marissa explains that the experience highlights how different audiences shape their approach. Instead of focusing on all the typical work that goes into preparing for a convention — what makes your booth stand out, dressing up, and understanding what kinds of things and media get showcased more or less than others — they instead adjusted their booth for a more casual campus crowd. They describe that they “went through and lowered most of [their] prices because most of [the people on campus] aren’t expecting to pay convention prices,” further emphasizing that “it was definitely different to have to actually sit down and think about how the audience varies depending on where you are.” 

With positive and enthusiastic feedback from students, staff, and vendors alike, the Art Market has become more than just a fundraiser for the club; it has become a pivotal example of CU Denver’s creative community, offering students a chance to not only gain professional experience selling their work but also to connect and celebrate art in a welcoming space with their peers. As the Arts Practices Club prepares for the Art Market happening next semester, excitement from the fall still lingers. If anything, this October’s success suggests that the market will only continue to grow, both in scale and in attitude. With an abundantly positive reception from visitors and supporters across campus, students are already looking forward to returning as vendors, with other students looking forward to trying to vend their art for the first time. With each event, the Arts Practices Club’s Art Market further cements itself as a semesterly tradition that brings creativity to the center of campus.