Getting a piece of art placed in a museum is no small feat: whether you're trying to get a small sketch into a gallery opening or an iconic painting posted on the wall of the Met, museums are where the best of the best go to showcase their work.
The Brooklyn Art Library is no different, only their submission process is a little different. You don't need to be a famous artist or well-known content creator to get your work scanned and saved at this museum. Instead, all you have to do is send in a sketchbook.
This is the entire premise of The Sketchbook Project, a worldwide challenge set forth by the Brooklyn Art Library to document and showcase works of art from everyday people through the simple medium of the sketchbook. Anyone and everyone can request a sketchbook from the museum, and once that blank book is in your hands, you're free to use it in any way you want.
Drawing, doodling, writing, and crafting are all encouraged: the only thing that matters is that you express yourself. Once you're finished, you need to send the sketchbook back by the deadline, and the curators of the museum will save and showcase the art created by everyday artists. All the participating sketchbooks are on view at the Brooklyn Art Library and will be saved for posterity.
This project is just now gaining widespread public recognition, but it already as a huge number of devotees: individuals from over one-hundred and thirty-five countries have sent in sketchbooks, and over 70,000 artists have been involved in the project as a whole.
You can join in on the fun by checking out their website and requesting a sketchbook for yourself. Each book costs $30, which covers the costs of shipping and documenting, as this project is a crowdfunded endeavor. If you're concerned about not getting to New York anytime soon in order to see your finished project in the Brooklyn Art Library itself, fear not! The Sketchbook Project travels outside of New York as well, allowing artists and viewers alike to have easier access to this amazing project.
So, what are you waiting for? Get crafty!
