Artistry Community, Part 2 – Learning the Hard Way, Finding Our Path

The Next Step: Launching SayLizard Creative to Fund Our Nonprofit Mission

Hi friends!
This week, it feels like the right moment to continue the story of Artistry Community. Do you remember my last piece, Part 1 – Built on Care, Facing a Crossroads?
I wrote about why I started this nonprofit digital exhibition platform, how we brought the team together, and how—right after our very first exhibition launch—we suddenly faced team members leaving.

When Everything Fell Apart

Our vision was to support local artists in Canada through online exhibitions. But right after that first show, everything turned upside down. Tight deadlines, unexpected errors, and questions about responsibility… in the middle of the launch, two members left. Soon after, another followed.
The hardest part? It wasn’t after the exhibition—it was while the exhibition was just beginning.

After those departures, we could barely move forward for weeks.
We especially needed an AWS cloud developer. Out of options, I posted a volunteer call on a nonprofit platform. I wasn’t expecting much… but to my surprise, some amazing new people showed up. That’s when I finally felt a little hope again.

We’ve welcomed 3 new team members, and we’re still upgrading and growing together.

A Big Realization

But here’s what I learned from all this:
To be more professional, we need money.
In my last article, I said a professional artist should be able to show and sell their work. Turns out, the same is true for us.
For two years, our mission of “learning and growing together” kept us going. But in the end, if a project never makes money, it’s hard for anyone to feel lasting responsibility.

Our mission hasn’t changed. We still want to give local artists the chance to share their work online, free from limits of time or place.
But if we want to move faster, try more ideas, and last longer—we have to accept this simple fact: money matters.
Sure, we can apply for government funding as a nonprofit. But funding is never stable. And new groups like ours have to prove we exist before we even get considered.

A New Step with SayLizard

So here’s the news: along with our nonprofit work, we’re planning to sell digital exhibition packages under the name SayLizard Creative.
These packages are designed for anyone—individual artists, galleries, or organizations—who are preparing an offline show but also want an online version.

Let’s Work Together

If you’re planning an exhibition, reach out to us. With SayLizard Creative, you can combine marketing, design, and digital exhibition in one package. Together, we can add energy and reach a wider audience.

Don’t forget—your offline show can live beyond the walls of a gallery. We can help display it in a stronger, smarter way.

And as always, thank you for following our journey.

🌍 www.artistrycommunity.com / 📩 hello@artistrycommunity.com