Student-Made connects student art entrepreneurs to their college campuses, giving artists a platform to sell their creative goods.

Founded in 2021 by Lindsay Reeth, a graduate of Elon University, Student-Made is a new organization that aims to create a low-key environment for university artists to showcase their work while making a profit. The creative organization’s platform makes artistic endeavors accessible to all students.

Student-Made joined the Wolfpack this semester, and current NC State students and recent alums are eligible to join the organization. The process is pretty straightforward — applications are available on their website and you don’t need any artistic background to join.

Once accepted, artists can schedule when they participate in pop-up events — there is no requirement for which events to attend. There is also no minimum selling product count, which puts less stress on the creators. 

Nina Susann, a third-year studying science education and founder of Nina Knits, spoke highly of the flexibility Student-Made offers her.

“When I started with Student-Made, they told me there is no pressure to develop new products constantly,” Susann said. “They realize that you are a student, so Student-Made’s flexibility is great.”

Artists appreciate the low-stakes business Student-Made provides. Student-Made creatives don’t deal with the nitty-gritty of finances and advertising, which puts less pressure on them. Instead, they have an officer board with positions in finance, social media and success, to name a few, that cover these time-consuming tasks that can lead to burnout in art entrepreneurs. 

Lauren Miller, a third-year studying art and design and founder of Laurlines, aspires to expand her business to pop-ups in the area but appreciates the relaxed environment of Student-Made.

“Student-Made is very low-stakes compared to the pop-ups, where you pay for a spot to sell products while being unsure that you will profit that day,” Miller said. “We also get to keep all our profits at Student-Made, which is nice.”

Student-Made’s understanding of busy schedules opens creative career opportunities to all students, regardless of their major. Mackenzie Marino, a fourth-year studying industrial and systems engineering, uses Student-Made as a creative outlet for her engineering classes by making polymer clay earrings for her brand MG Jewelry.

“I started dabbling in polymer clay, and my friends started to buy my products, so it expanded from there,” Marino said. “There is so much freedom with the clay. You can really print whatever you want. It’s so fun to make new 3D cutters.”

Student-Made creates a mutually beneficial relationship with their artists. Posting student artwork to the page and encouraging the entrepreneurs to make business art accounts helps to ease the anxiety of displaying their art on the internet.

Vicky Tang, author and recent NC State nutrition science graduate said Student-Made helped her become more confident while advertising Vicky Tang Books. 

“It’s been a pretty interesting experience because I’m very introverted,” Tang said. “I wouldn’t say I like selling myself, but I’ve had to learn how to. I’ve come a long way from my first pop-up.”

The shop-local aspect of Student-Made is an unintended bonus of the organization. As sustainability is a given when you shop locally, some Student-Made artists are incorporating eco-friendly practices in their business. 

Caitlin Hicks, a fourth-year studying textile management, upcycles for her brand Odysea Skate Co. Hicks’ sustainable designs have a beachy-cool vibe, drawing inspiration from her coastal hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina. They’ve been a big hit, as she sells her decks to local businesses in the Triangle.

“I started making custom skate decks, upcycling an old deck I wasn’t using anymore by painting and customizing it,” Hicks said. “There was a lot of traction with them, and I just recently started selling them to coffee shops and breweries. I also create upcycled streetwear to spread awareness on sustainable fashion.”

Not only are Student-Made artists enthusiastic about connecting with their campus community, but they also have the opportunity to meet other participants from various college campuses. This past summer, a Charlotte meetup cultivated friendships and professional connections among officers and artists from different campuses.

The Charlotte meetup was Student-Made NC State’s first networking event with other campuses, and it was so successful that the club intends to hold more in the future. 

Elizabeth Clark, a fourth-year studying marketing, the campus manager of Student-Made NC State and founder of Elle Sheridan, said the meetup fostered a network between students at different campuses.

“It was so crazy to meet artists from different Student-Made campuses,” Clark said. “We worked really hard to make it happen, but the outcome of the meetup was amazing, and we got to create so many new networking opportunities for our participants.”

For more information, updates and involvement opportunities related to Student-Made, check out their Instagram and website, where you can shop for creative goods.