Our FLAG has been operational for less than a year, but it’s already making an impact in our community. I had been mulling over the idea to start a FLAG for a long time, but had a lot of doubts. How would people respond to it? What if no one interacted with the FLAG?
I’m so happy to share that the response has been overwhelmingly positive! An editor for a local community newsletter recently wrote an article about the FLAG. Several creative neighbors have shared art. We’ve had donations of pottery, textile art, jewelry, and paintings.
My favorite pieces are the ones created by young artists. I want our FLAG to encourage kids to put their creativity out into the world and to feel like they are making the world a better place with their creations. I also hope our FLAG inspires others who are thinking about starting one to go for it! My hope is that you too will be amazed about the reach it will have in your community.
Don’t have access to a wooden box or someone who can make one? No problem! I purchased a pre-made lending library box on Amazon at the link below. To customize it, I purchased waterproof adhesive wallpaper to cover the front and sides.
Simplay3 Dig-Free Sharing Library for Indoor or Outdoor Use, Little Sharing Library for Neighborhoods and Schools, Made in USA
Tyler adds: This pre-made box seems popular for FLAGs. It’s a bit small, but it’s easy and seems a good way to test whether your site can sustain a FLAG with active participation from the neighborhood. If you find it needs to be larger, you can think about replacing it with a kit, or something from Etsy, or try to build your own design. And then let your visitors know that if they’re interested in starting their own FLAG, you just happen to have your Mark I art box sitting in the garage and they could have it — cheap!