Cluster began several years ago as a social group to allow a diverse group of female artists the chance to connect, educate and support one another. An early focus of our conversations was “what does it mean to be a collective?.” Many of us had belonged to artist-run gallery spaces. A common experience was that most of the interactions in those groups became about the mechanics and economics of running the space, whereas what we had been seeking in the collective experience was community with other artists. Discussing art and art-making; hashing out ideas; collaborating on work; feedback and critique; these were all largely missing from our experiences with artist-run spaces. So, driven by the idea that a collective is about the people rather than the physical space, we decided to prioritize the community over gallery operations; exhibiting in alternative spaces and through exchanges rather than maintaining a dedicated physical space.