What I am about to write about is possibly slightly controversial: it is certainly emotive but it’s something that sits slightly uncomfortably with me.
In my previous career as an Interior Designer, no-one ever asked me to donate huge slices of my earnings. Yes, I had cans rattled in front of me and I donated what I wanted when I chose to but I was never asked to give proportionally large amounts.
Go back to 2005 and things changed. Once I started to paint, various charities contacted me asking me to donate paintings. To date, I have only said “no” once, and that was because I did not agree with the cause. In an ideal world. things would be run so well by governments, that we would not need charities but in reality of course, we do. And I think it is a person who is missing something who never gives.
However, when it comes to art and charity, there are several things going on that people may not be aware of. Take the studios where I work for example. They are a charity, and they exist to allow artist’s, some of the lowest earners in society to be able to rent affordable workspace. I had a discussion with several artist friends this week after being asked to donate a painting no less than 3 times in a week ( it’s lovely to be asked and I have manage dto say yes each time after sorting some detail out but you can imagine this creates a problem!). I was quite surprised by some of the responses.
One artist said they donate one painting a year and then they politely decline. One said that they never donate any more and one said that it depended on what they had. Before you are too harsh in judging the person who does not donate. They said that over the first few years of their career, they gave away around 5K in art. They asked me if I could imagine in my previous job, someone asking me to donate five thousand pounds of my earnings. Unless as individuals, we were earning very large salaries, the answer is that most of us do not. We then discussed why artists are asked to donate. Some said “easy prey” but I think it’s just that paintings are such a popular thing to donate and they work well at charity dinners etc.
What seems to work best is when a charity auctions a painting and pass a percentage on to the artist. that way everyone wins and it allows the artist to keep donating.
One artist suggested that I have a policy which I post on my website. Perhaps that is a good idea.
Over the years I have advertised on my website and in my newsletter when I have been involved in a charity event. this has been to try to assist the charity: I have never tried to make a career out of this! However, this leads to the next point which was discussed: and I cannot mention names here as much as I would like to, but there are several artists, and galleries, who seem to use charity as a way to promote themselves and their work. I think if you get exposure from being involved in a charity event then that’s fine, but to repeatedly seek out this kind of event and to benefit from other’s who are in need is quite disgusting.
It was put to me that it doesn’t matter and that if those who are benefitting from the charity get more then it doesn’t matter. I disagree. I know of an artist who bragged to me about donating no less than 45 framed paintings in a year. Why? Well, his reason was that giving away one was worth it because “the spin-off was so profitable”. Basically, presenting himself as a person with a big heart endeared him to usually, wealthy charity patrons who, if they missed out on his donated painting would later contact him to buy a piece of art. A I said, pretty disgusting. I also knew of another artist in my early days painting and all she seemed to do was charity events and all to “raise her profile”. The worst however, was a gallery who after using the badge of charity for an exhibition refused to pass on any of the money raised. Or what about not telling people that you are only passing on 10% of the sale?
So, yes, it is an area I am very careful with. Mainly from the point of view that I don’t want to be seen to be using charitable organisations in any way.
I will, however, continue to give support where I can. And on that note a very special purple tinged “Answer Is” Kiltie will be auctioned at the Scottish Sport’s Futures Black Tie Ball. You can see full details on the NEWS page of this website.
UPDATE
Since writing this, rather strangely, I have been approached by more charities, some of whom have asked me to become involved in projects at short notice. These have been fantastic people to work with who really seem to understand the way artists work. It has also opened my eyes to the diversity of some of the organisations out there helping people who would otherwise be left in really desperate situations.
Urgh! I do not even know how this artist who use charities to promote himself can have a clear conscience! How can someone profit from other people’s misery and misfortune. I know of this artist you speak about who makes the 45 paintings. The sooner that people know his true motives in using charities for his own means, the sooner his greed and lust for money is exposed!
Frank
Thanks for commenting. It is indeed a sensitive subject. Unfortunately, some people don’t seem to let a bad coscience bother them!
Regards
Joe