Louis Vuitton has long been known to embrace artists in its advertising — Keith Richards, Catherine Deneuve, and most of the Coppola clan have all been photographed for the label by Annie Leibovitz.  The brand’s collaborations with artists like Takashi Murakami have proven incredibly popular.  And now the luxury label has launched REcreative, an online platform intended to support and encourage young visual artists.

The site represents a joint effort between Louis Vuitton’s Young Arts Project and London-based arts institutions, including the Royal Academy of Arts and the Tate Britain.  The highly interactive platform provides both a means for emerging artists to show off their work (the ‘Projects‘ section) and to learn about established artists’ creative processes and inspiration.  A feature called What’s On highlights recommended exhibits and art-related events.

What’s unique about REcreative, though, is its combination of incentive and feedback.  Periodic contests give fledgling artists the chance to win a meeting with an established artist just by submitting new projects.  And anytime members post work, they are considered for a feature in the Projects section — meaning their work gets seen by a range of well-known artists and critics.  It’s also a smart move for Louis Vuitton, since they’ll be expanding on their already-strong relationship with the art world and building relationships with its next stars.