Growth and evolution in three Philadelphia artist collectives

Three collectives located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are examined to uncover the critical issues affecting the success and direction of artist collectives. The purpose of this study is to better understand the Artist Cooperative movement as a visual art organizational model and to unveil the key aspects or components that allow the artist cooperative to grow and transform successfully throughout its life cycle. Through investigation of the histories of The Clay Studio, Nexus/Foundation for Today's Art, and Vox Populi, critical issues and trends are discovered contributing to these collectives success, including the necessity of artists as stakeholders, artists involvement in governance, and the availability of long-term affordable physical space.