I’m so proud of all the things Variable West accomplished in 2022 with the support of our community and readers.
We published 70 extraordinary pieces of writing about West Coast art in our exhibition reviews, artists interviews, dispatches, sponsored content, and essays, as well as our columns Pairings, Love Letters, and The Why.
Nothing makes me happier than providing a platform for our brilliant contributors from California, Oregon, Washington, and beyond.
Thanks to the support of our readers, we paid writers nearly $12,400 in 2022. That includes our first and second cohorts of Cliff Notes columnists, who brought you weekly picks of the best art on the West Coast.
We could not have done this without the generosity of Critical Minded, Regional Arts and Culture Council, and Stelo Arts. With their help, we were able to hire Jaelynn Walls, this year’s editorial apprentice, extend Justin Duyao’s 2021’s editorial apprenticeship, and launch an art writing residency in Portland and Colton, OR.
Read the incredible essays from our art writing residents here.
We also partnered with a group of amazing West Coast art institutions and organizations to produce excellent, equitable, and transparent sponsored content. An enormous thank you to lumber room, Koplin del Rio Gallery, and PICA for believing in the power and importance of equitably-funded art writing.
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that after all that, I’m very tired. So, as we head into 2023, I’m taking time to reassess Variable West’s financial and programming models to ensure that I can continue offering what I think is an essential resource for our region and the art community at large.
Variable West (and Cliff Notes) will be taking a break in January and February 2023, returning in March with some exciting news, changes, and plans for the future.
You can help us turn next year into our most successful yet by supporting us in one or many ways:
- Sign up for our weekly free newsletter Cliff Notes
- Follow us on Instagram
- Tell your friends, family, and frenemies about us
- Buy an artist collaboration tee (use code EXTRASPECIAL for 20% off until Jan. 1!)
- Set up a monthly subscription and get cool perks
- Make a one time donation of any amount
- Advertise with us
- Get in touch about sponsored content
Thank you for joining me on this wild ride, I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Happy holidays,
Amelia Rina, Variable West founder