New SLC art cafe serves guests who are hungry for creativity

Art has always been a part of Madi Nilsson’s soul — a centerpiece on her life’s vision board.

“Growing up, my mom [and] dad would just give me and all my siblings tons of art projects,” Nilsson said. “It would be anywhere from watercolor to acrylics … they taught us how to sew and do pottery … that’s just my whole childhood.”

Nilsson’s entrepreneurial streak started young, too. She gathered neighborhood kids in her back yard at age 10 for artistic summer camps, marching them through a line of projects. They would collage, sculpt with air-dried clay and make things to their heart’s desire with no pressure to be the best.

A few decades later, Nilsson recommitted to make time for art, especially the no-pressure-to-be-perfect part of it. That, along with stumbling upon a London art cafe in her travels abroad, inspired her to open a space for every level of artist.

“Everything we did in the summer camps is on the menu,” Nilsson said of her new business, Art Café, which opened in mid-November.

Nestled in Salt Lake City’s eccentric 9th and 9th neighborhood, the Art Café mimics the vibe of a restaurant. But instead of consuming, customers create.

Patrons can choose from a menu of nine “entreés,” or art projects. There’s a pottery painting option, a watercolor medley and an ink flight, alongside a vast collage buffet. One can gorge on an air-dry clay souffle or get a taste with a charcoal sampler. You can craft from oil pastels, crayons and even string together friendship bracelets. The entreés range from $15 to more than $30.

The menu is housed in green leather holders. Everyone’s order gets listed on a diner order form.

The pantry, a shelf next to the checkout counter, holds all the ingredients — salt shakers of paint, bowls of beads, cups of brushes. Nilsson said the nine projects will be a mainstay on the menu, but she hopes to add a few specials now and then as she continues to explore art forms.

“This space is for casual artists; you don’t have to be good,” Nilsson said. “It’s just here to create, to feel good with people.”

If those casual artists want to spruce up their skills, though, the cafe also offers classes and workshops.

The cafe at 870 E. 900 South is, simply put, a cozy place. It’s full of windows that flood the space in natural light during the day, while warm yellow lanterns (DIY paper lamp shades over a bulb) give a soft glow in the evening.

The fireplace, exposed brick, frames and plants galore bring it all together. “All this decor is based on my childhood home,” Nilsson said.

Bulletin boards in the café are overflowing with pieces of art, with most created by visitors. One has a charcoal drawing titled “Bob Dylan but it’s Cate Blanchett” by an artist named Audrey D. The whole display started with a collage piece from Nilsson that features a model draped over a couch. The model’s face has been cut out and replaced with a line of words: “in her early thirties.”

“When people walk into this space and they know me, they’re like, ‘this is Madison’s heart,’” Nilsson explains. Her father helped her craft the tables and her mother helped string up the sheer curtains throughout the space.

Art even adorns the restroom. A paint-splattered sheet of paper hangs on the wall with two simple messages: “Be brave enough to create bad art” and, “Create simply because it feels good.”

As the café gets going, Nilsson said, she’d love to support another business owner or dreamer and add a real café component. The shop currently serves light snacks and drinks.

This is Nilsson’s second arts-focused business in the neighborhood. Her Salt Lake Pottery Studio, which opened in 2022, and the Art Café serve as bookends on the artsy district.

“I see people come in and out of this space and the pottery studio, and they leave just so happy and in that moment the world just melts,” Nilsson said. “If you’re feeding off of each other’s energy, it makes the experience so much better. That’s all this is. Life is the experience and we’re just like adding that cherry on top.”

To grab a space at the café, anyone 14 and older can make a reservation by visiting artcafeslc.com/reservations.