Maybe you've heard of Community Supported Agriculture. You pay a set amount and that gives you so many shares of produce from a local farm.

Well...Denver Botanic Gardens and Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) have partnered to create Community Supported Art Colorado (CSArt Colorado). Modeled closely on farming Community Supporting Agriculture programs (CSAs) that link local crop producers with local consumers, the CSArt program connects local artists with local art lovers.

Here's how it works: The program sells 100 shares of art for $400 each. Shareholders receive invitations to three art distribution events scheduled throughout 2013 where they meet the participating artists, socialize, and pick up three original works of art at each of these events, for a total of nine pieces of art throughout the year.

CSArt Colorado will be commemorated each year with a unique, reusable bag, box, or crate for shareholders to use throughout the year to pick up their artworks.

I'm thinking there will be lots of discussion among artists and some push-back from artists who don't want their work treated like, well, like fruits or vegetables. But, I've got to tell you, I'm getting ready to write a check for $400. It will be fun. Not serious. A brilliant win-win idea, no?

CSArt Colorado wants to enlist a diverse group of artists who embrace the spirit and philosophy of the program. Curators from BMoCA and the Gardens will select the participating artists through an open call for submissions. Artists working in all art disciplines are invited to submit their work. For 2013, 18 emerging and established Colorado-based artists will be selected from applications submitted through www.callforentry.org. Each artist selected will receive an honorarium in the amount of $850 to support the production of 59 original works of art – 50 works for the shareholders and nine works of art for the participating artists.

For more information www.botanicgardens.org or www.bmoca.org