Brooklyn Creative Reuse (BCR), a nonprofit founded by jeweler Stephanie O'Brien, has opened a permanent brick-and-mortar store in Industry City, Brooklyn, after launching as a pop-up in February 2025. The store sells donated, pre-loved and unused art supplies at a price-per-pound rate, making materials affordable for low-income artists, educators, and hobbyists. Its opening party on April 18 drew large crowds, and BCR has already diverted over 1,000 pounds of art supplies from landfills in its first year.
This initiative matters because it addresses two pressing issues in the art world: the high cost of art supplies, which can be a barrier for emerging artists and educators, and the environmental waste generated by discarded materials. By offering a sustainable, low-cost alternative to traditional retailers like Blick, BCR promotes creative reuse and supports local teaching artists through paid workshops. Its success in a major art capital like New York City could serve as a model for similar reuse programs elsewhere.