Urban Arts Space is proud to launch the Artist Commune Journal, a community arts publication. The inaugural issue—centered on the theme of Care/Culture/Justice—amplifies twenty-five different voices and perspectives from the Columbus community, uniting individuals across disciplines and backgrounds. 

Rooted in community engagement, the Artist Commune Journal showcases collaborative work in many forms, including arts research, essays, poetry, visual art, artist interviews, film, and community organization spotlights. In this print and online publication, you’ll find form-bending poetry by Mandy Shunnarah; powerful portrait photography from the issue’s featured artist, Ky Smiley; a personal essay on addiction and recovery by Molly Davis; and a documentary on overlooked dramatist Elizabeth Cary, among many other incredible pieces.

The Artist Commune Journal serves as an extension of Urban Arts Space’s signature monthly event series of the same name. Free and open to the public, the Artist Commune event series features arts activities around a different theme each month. Past themes have included live figure drawing, pop-up exhibitions, poetry readings, fashion upcycling, collaging, downtown photo walks, and hip-hop storytelling. A full list of previous Artist Commune events can be found on the online archive, with upcoming events posted to uas.osu.edu/events.

Dr. Terron Banner, Urban Arts Space’s Manager of Community Learning and Experience, spoke on the origins of both Artist Commune and the Artist Commune Journal, the latter of which grew from a grant project at Ohio State exploring care, culture, and justice in practice. "I founded Artist Commune with a profound belief in the transformative power that emerges when art and community unite, recognizing their collective strength," he said. Dr. Banner hopes the journal will inspire more inclusive artistic engagement, elevating community wisdom over traditional academic frameworks: "Through our collaborative effort, I'm not merely documenting artistic work but actively cultivating environments where care, culture, and justice become the foundation of our creative practice."

Merijn van der Heijden, Director of Urban Arts Space, also shared her hopes for the Artist Commune Journal as a space where art, community, and care come together in accessible and meaningful ways, commenting, “Artist Commune Journal isn’t just about showcasing creative work—it’s about breaking down barriers between institutions and community and providing access to a variety of voices. I want this journal to be a place where ideas flow both ways, where community knowledge is valued, and where art becomes a tool for connection, care, and change. Most of all, I hope it helps us imagine and build more inclusive, supportive, and creative futures—together.”

The first two issues were made possible through the generous support and funding from Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme as well as the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Engagement at The Ohio State University. These funds go toward paying contributors and printing high-quality copies of the journal to distribute for free to the local community. 

Urban Arts Space invites the public to attend the launch party on Thursday, May 15, 2025 from 6–8 PM in celebration of the first issue. Visitors can enjoy a free print copy and poetry readings from a few of the contributors. The online version of the Artist Commune Journal will be available later in the summer of 2025.

The launch party serves as a space to be in community with Columbus artists, writers, and change-makers. As van der Heijden shared, “We started the Artist Commune Journal because we wanted to create another space where community voices and creative work could shine. We were inspired by the energy of people coming together through art and wanted to build something that reflects that: a platform where artists can share their work and ideas and open new ways of connecting.” 

Artist Commune Journal: Issue One Contributors: Ajanaé Dawkins, Arris' Cohen, Asher Pollock, Ayat Ibrahim, Breanne Eickholt, Dejiah Archie-Davis, Elaff Houmsse, Elizabeth Kolkovich, Erin Morgan Smith Glenn, Imara Regis, Jasmine Renee Parker, Jules Biller, Ky Smiley, Lydia Gokey, Mandy Shunnarah, Mina Ibrahim, Molly Davis, The Neighborhood Design Center (NDC), Raja Green, Robin Raven Prichard, Sayuri Matsuura Ayers, Sea Dax, Sydney Summey, Wendy Pramik, Wild Goose Creative

Cover Art: Arris’ J. Cohen, The Instant Two Shin