Today we’d like to introduce you to Arti Asebedo & Amari Figueras.
Hi Arti & Amari, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Coded originally started in high school as a senior project. We were tasked with creating a profitable business aligned with our morals and what we wanted to see in the world. Once we received our final grade, our other two other group members dropped from Coded, and we kept it going into the real world. It’s been an enormous effort working and communicating with artists and venues, brainstorming projects, and aligning schedules while pursuing higher education across different time zones.
Our first-ever Coded event was hosted at The Haven in Downtown Pomona during the Summer of 2022. We received a turnout of 28 people and sold one tote bag and two zines. We hired three bands and worked with two other vendors to make this show happen and in completing the event it marked a moment that will forever live as a memory of what we want Coded to be about. Artists and Creatives of small and big platforms come together to support each other and be part of something collectively. Fast-forwarding to a year later, Coded returned to The Haven, selling 90 tickets and surpassing vending sale expectations of our newly released shirts, tote bags, and zines.
At this point in our career Coded has been established for a little over two years and in our last year, we are so grateful for the opportunities we have been gifted. From filming a Coded-produced short film in New York City to shooting a photo shoot in San Francisco for our new merch, the amount of love we have received has been nothing short of mind-blowing. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us and what people we will cross paths with. Artists and Non-Artists alike, we always want Coded to feel like home for everyone.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our journey as Coded has not been a smooth road by any means. We have found ourselves running into issues with production, event planning, scheduling, and funding; all of which are just part of the nature of being beginners running our collective. Being a smaller entity, it can be a challenge to even get responses or find people who are willing to take us seriously and respect our vision. We deal with dozens of unanswered DMs and emails that we send out, getting ghosted when we book and schedule meetings and deadlines; unfortunately, this is the nature of the world that we work in. Our struggles along the way have left us with so many lessons that are only further improving our vision and gifting us visions for future events and creations. We really want to utilize these lessons as opportunities to grow and hopefully, one day be able to pass down our education to others trying to start their own pursuits. We never want to turn someone away because they hold a smaller platform/ are up and coming in their craft, and we always want to offer them the best deal we can!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Coded, we are a Bi-coastal artist collective that cultivates shows, magazines, and other forms of media. As of now, we are most proud of our last summer 23’ show in Southern California with local upcoming bands at the Haven Pomona. The turnout was amazing; the bands played great and had a great time while doing it too. Overall, it was a really entertaining and fun show for everyone. What sets us apart from others is our commitment to putting out work that is informed, high quality, and equitable for everyone involved. Part of our morals is to uplift under-represented artists who are doing good work so that they can have a larger platform and start working more than they already are. Accepting and working with all genres of music and artistic mediums is what has been successful for us, so as we get bigger we are going to stick to it.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Although Coded was not directly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has offered a crucial spotlight on so many issues in our country including racism, transphobia, economic inequities, and food scarcity, that have long been unresolved. This has 100% influenced what we value at Coded and our commitment to working with those who are underrepresented. We want to be part of a push to bring communities together and build our own community of diverse individuals who see the beauty in creating.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Band Photo – Jade Marie Flyer – Mila Merce Coded Merch Pics – Rei Jackson
