A Pocket-Sized Masterpiece
How one local bank is supporting local art in a fun and creative way
“Support Local Art.” It’s a mantra found on t-shirts, stickers, and your favorite power pole stickers across Fargo-Moorhead and beyond, a rallying cry from artists and arts supporters alike. But what does it really mean to support local art? In the past decade of Fargo-Moorhead’s growth, significant strides have been taken to bolster the local arts scene. Take for example, APT, a collaboration between Kilbourne Group and The Arts Partnership to provide accessible and communal studio space for local artists. Other collaborations have brought new art markets and vendor opportunities to the area, boosting the arts economy. And now, local bank Choice Financial is stepping up to support local art in their own, new way. Customers can now carry their very own piece of local art in the form of a Choice Financial debit card. “We wanted to celebrate local art in the best way we could,” says Shelley Szudera, Director of Marketing at Choice Financial.
BY Marisa Jackels
64
JUNE 2018
Szudera and her team first thought of the idea after looking at the average debit card background.
“They can be a bit mundane,” she said. “We wanted to do something different.” That’s when the lightbulb went off. Instead of a generic background, they thought, what if your debit card was a mini masterpiece from a local artist? And what if that card could also represent an investment in arts councils across North Dakota? “With everything we do at Choice Financial — we look for ways to put PeopleFirst,” she said. “And what better way to put PeopleFirst than to highlight the talented artists in our communities and give back to local arts councils?” After months of planning, the idea from Choice’s marketing team is now a reality. Customers can now proudly tout a debit card featuring work by North Dakota artists Dan Francis, Cris Fulton, or Ashley Kunz. In addition, they can make a $5 suggested donation to one of seven arts councils