These four coffee shops are regularly hosting community art events in an effort to uplift local creators.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR
Featured photo courtesy of KB’s Cafe
Art and coffee—it’s a natural relationship. So many artists are fueled by coffee, and at the same time, baristas are enlivened by the presence of art at their shops. In this article series, we’re highlighting some of the many cafés dedicating their time and space to uplifting local artists. Read on to learn more about these four notable shops: Equiano Coffee, Badfish Coffee, KB’s Cafe, and Verbena Coffee.
Equiano Coffee
In 2008, Gloria Udosenata, who is an artist herself, embarked on a journey with her husband, Okon, to create a community through their shared passion for coffee and the arts. The couple’s coffee shop and roastery, Equiano Coffee, is located in the Whiteaker neighborhood, a historic arts district in Eugene, Oregon.
“Since (Equiano’s) inception, our vision for a coffee shop has included revolving local art on our walls, hosting art pop-up markets in our courtyard, and participating in our area’s (monthly) artwalk: a self guided tour through many local participating venues, bars, cafés, and artists’ homes,” Gloria says. “Hosting artists within and around our café space has been such a valuable way to make connections and build community. … We continue to benefit from networking with artists and love providing our patrons with the gift of visual art and coffee.”
Badfish Coffee
Operating in Orangevale, California, since 2018, Badfish Coffee hosts quarterly in-store art galleries, as well as a number of vendor fairs year-round that welcome local artisans, bakers, and musicians. “Our art galleries have welcomed in an incredible array of talent. We’ve displayed everything from hand-crafted tapestries to geode-encrusted resin pours, and have even hosted collaborative class projects created by one of the local charter schools,” says Badfish art director, Savanah Selleck.
“As art director, it’s my goal to ensure that our galleries are curated with only one thing in mind: the representation of our community as a whole, so that everyone has the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the work of their peers,” Savanah continues.
KB’s Cafe
Savannah, Georgia’s KB’s Cafe celebrated their one-year anniversary this past November, and to celebrate, the shop partnered with the Savannah Art Association to feature works from local artists. In addition, the shop also hosts a monthly kids’ art workshop, which is run by café team member Skyler Peters.
Verbena Coffee
Houston, Texas’ Verbena Coffee has been collaborating with local artists for years, featuring new creators every month to showcase and sell their pieces in the shop.
“We’ve collaborated with everyone from established artists to (beginners) who have their first show with us,” says Verbena Coffee owner, Yngvil Schiager. “Both customers and staff love how the look of our space changes with each new exhibition.”
Stay Tuned for More
Keep an eye out for future installments of this article series, where we’ll showcase even more coffee shops hosting art events for their communities.
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