Stephanie Spear 
In Arlington, a growing group of neighbors is gathering around scissors, glue, and paper—not for a class, but for connection. Artist Jaqui Falkenheim founded the Arlington Collage Collective, a free meetup where locals can create, unwind, and meet others through art. As part of our exploration of analog activities in Northern Virginia, The Fairfax Girl connected with Jaqui to learn more about the Collage Collective and her inspiration. Read on for more about Jaqui Falkenheim and the Arlington Collage Collective.
Backstory
Jaqui Falkenheim has lived in Arlington since 2000 and is a mixed-media artist whose work has been licensed by brands such as West Elm and Minted. She’s a member of the Columbia Pike Arts Studio, and her work has been exhibited at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria and many other local venues. She had read several articles about artists in other communities starting collage groups as a way to gather people together.
“One magazine published a list of the different collage collectives, so I contacted them to learn more about how to do it,” she said. “I connected with one in Philadelphia and one in Portland, Oregon and started chatting with them. They had started the groups during the pandemic as a way for people to connect.”
At the same time that Jaqui was connecting with the collage community and learning about how to organize the event, the Arlington Library held a community resource fair to learn more about how residents can use the library. The free meeting rooms at the library seemed like a perfect fit for her vision. “My sense is that even after the pandemic, people are really hungry for connection,” she said. “I figured this was my chance, so I signed up for a meeting room at the library and announced the first meetup in May 2025.”
“The first meetup was about 10 or 12 people,” Jaqui said. “And then it just grew. Now we have at least 30 people for each meetup.” The art that participants create can be whatever they choose. “Sometimes I offer a prompt, like a specific season that we’re in, but people can really make what they want,” Jaqui said. The Arlington Collage Collective has also partnered with the Dominion Hills Little Free Library to create some art for that collection.
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Now, over 100 people are on the email list for the collage collective. Word has spread through the Arlington artist community and through social media. “I’m kind of playing with it to see where I can take it,” Jaqui said. “I’m still thinking about it and thinking of all the possibilities that could happen. Other collectives have done exhibits, so there are a lot of possibilities.”
Collaging Together
The meetups last about two hours and are at the Arlington Public Library. Jaqui brings some materials but participants are welcome to bring their own. “I’ll ask the library to donate old magazines, and people can bring things to donate, too,” Jaqui said. At our visit in January, some of the materials included scraps of holiday wrapping paper and the fronts of holiday cards.
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Because the materials are simple—paper, glue, and scissors—and the skills are accessible, anyone can participate. “It’s kindergarten-level stuff,” Jaqui said. “Everyone can do it.”
A typical session begins with welcoming remarks from Jaqui, which may include a prompt. During our visit in January, the prompt was to create monochromatic pieces that would be placed in the Dominion Hills Little Free Art Gallery. “But really, people can make what they want,” Jaqui said. “It’s more about connecting and creating, rather than making something specific. It’s a place where you can get creative and, get your juices flowing and meet other people in the same area who are interested in the same things.”
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Jaqui says that it’s been rewarding to watch the community grow. “We have people come from teens to seniors,” she said. “And now some of the same people have come time after time. It’s just so great that people are inspired to make something of their own.”
To learn more about the Arlington Collage Collective, follow along on Instagram.
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