The Artist Support Pledge

Matthew Burrows started the Artist Support Pledge on on the 16th March 2020 in response to the COVID19 pandemic. 

In the last two months it has:

• become a global movement of support for artists and makers by other artists, makers and art collectors
• generated 174,804 posts on Instagram (it had generated 175,277 posts by the time I finished this post!)
• collected 41k followers on the Artist Support Pledge Instagram account

How the Artist Support Pledge works

The best ideas are always very simple - as this one is.

View this post on Instagram

This is the HOW TO guide to participate in ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE anyone anywhere in the world can take part. 1. post your image/s on your Instagram account 2. If possible use the ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE logo and text (swipe to see) by reposting or using a screenshot. You can also cut and paste from my website (see link in bio). 3. give details of the work and price (no more than 200USD, 200GDP, 200 EURO or 20000JPY) 4. ask for anyone interested to DM you 5. add #artistsupportpledge NB: singular - one ‘s’ not two 6. follow the # 7. when you have sold $1000 worth of work fulfil the pledge and spend $200 on another artist/s work. 8. If in doubt do it in a spirit of generosity, that's all that matters A creative generosity creates a generous creativity 9. Stay connected for more opportunities by following @artistsupportpledge NB/ we DO NOT select work to be seen. You may not see your own work as there are so many images but others are seeing them. Text for posting below: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists around the world have found themselves without work, teaching, technical support, gallery work, exhibitions and sales have disappeared. In an attempt to help alleviate some of this stress @matthewburrowsstudio has instigated the #artistsupportpledge The concept is a simple one. You post images of your work to sell for no more than $200 (£200, €200, ¥20000) each (not including shipping.) Anyone can then buy the work. Every time you reach $1000 of sales you pledge to buy another artist's work for $200. So make a pledge and post your work with the #artistsupportpledge and follow the #. keep updated on news and further opportunities @artistsupportpledge Repost and tell your friends, colleagues and collectors. Stay well and live generously. #supportartists #covid19 #coronavirus #livegenerously #artistsupportpledge

A post shared by Artist Support Pledge (@artistsupportpledge) on May 1, 2020 at 12:53am PDT

This is how the Artist Support Pledge works in terms of raising money for artists:

• First of all you need to post an ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE logo and text to 
• explain how the system works and 
• alert people to the fact you are participating 
• (The Instagram post above provides the detailed explanation) 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists around the world have found themselves without work, teaching, technical support, gallery work, exhibitions and sales have disappeared. In an attempt to help alleviate some of this stress @matthewburrowsstudio has instigated the #artistsupportpledgeThe concept is a simple one. You post images of your work to sell for no more than $200 (£200, €200, ¥20000) each (not including shipping.) Anyone can then buy the work. Every time you reach $1000 of sales you pledge to buy another artist's work for $200.

• Artists post an image of their work, on their Instagram account which they are willing to sell for no more than £200 each (i.e. not including shipping). 
• Make sure you include 
• details of the work (eg media / size / original / print etc) and 
• price (no more than 200USD, 200GDP, 200 EURO or 20000JPY)
• you can price for less than £200
• Add #artistsupportpledge  (NB: singular - one ‘s’ not two i.e. artist+support+pledge)
• Follow #artistsupportpledge to see the work posted by other artists
• Anyone can buy the work. 
• Ask for anyone interested to DM you
• Fulfil your pledge and buy another artist's work for £200 + delivery when you have made £1,000 in sales  (and, I suggest, have been paid!) i.e. sell £1,000 and net £800 + a new artwork for your collection!)
• Keep updated on new opportunities and announcements @artistsupportpledge 

Other hashtags used by those participating are:

• #supportartists 
• #covid19 
• #coronavirus 
• #livegenerously

MY TIPS

• PLEASE DO NOT post art if you're NOT a career artist whose livelihood is currently in jeopardy due to Coronavirus. There's way too much amateur art being posted by people who cannot possibly be paying their household and business bills through the sale of their art. That, to my mind, is just plain selfish and attention-seeking given the intention of this project is to support those self-employed professional artists who have lost their ability to earn their normal income e.g. from sales of exhibited paintings in art galleries and art fairs, teaching art to students and the normal sort of work which many professional artists engage in.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists have found themselves without work, teaching, technical support and gallery work. Exhibitions and sales have disappeared. In an attempt to help alleviate some of this stress I have instigated the ARTIST SUPPORT PLEDGE #artistsupportpledge (Matthew Burrows)

• DO NOT be one of the very silly artists who uses the hashtag but doesn't follow the rules
• DO NOT post "tat" and ask £200 - it devalues both the project and the pledge - and it also won't sell! I checked out all the artists I didn't know in the curated list below....
• DO NOT use the #artistsupportpledge UNLESS you are participating properly. It's sadly become one of those generic hashtags which people include willy nilly!
• DO calculate package and shipping costs before you post for different places e.g. UK only - you're likely to get more responses
• DO post work for less than £200. 
• Your artwork does not have to be valued at £200 
• You have the option to sell more artworks for less money. 
• This works particularly well for those selling prints

Who has contributed to the Artist Support Pledge?

Here are some of the artists and artworks which have been posted for the Art Support Pledge
I'm posting good quality artwork by those taking the pledge seriously.

Below I've identified five artists - and will do a curated collection of another five artists next week if you like the idea.

Gareth Reid - who won Portrait Artist of the Year in 2017 and was the portrait painter for Portrait Artist of the Week yesterday (on Facebook Live) was an early contributor. He is selling prints of his drawing.

He also provides an excellent example of how to detail your work on your post.

Commission an artist: 'Home is where the Art Is' (Episodes 11-15)

This post is about 

• my overall conclusions about Home Is Where The Art Is 
• information and links about the artists participating in Episodes 11-15.

If you want to find out the details of artists who participated in the first two weeks see below for the links to previous posts.

In general, the series has been a real education in terms of the client's perspective. 

• Overall some of the artwork during the course of the series has been simply stunning and very professional. By way of contrast, some of it has been distinctly amateurish.  
• I've been amazed to find that both domestic and corporate clients can really like artwork which fails (from my perspective) to demonstrate any real skill or talent.  My view - and I'm entitled to it - is that what is considered to be quality art varies depending on your experience of looking at art and your perspective (likes and dislikes)
• I'm wondering how many other people are like me and ended up, over the series as a whole, quite bemused by some of the choices of both artists and artwork. 
• Notwithstanding commissions are always about personal choice and there is no right or wrong if it makes the client happy.

The process of looking for the links has also clearly demonstrated how vital marketing and social media is for selling art and commissions

• the extent to which some artists fail to design websites with commission clients in mind
• why some people can make an income from commissions. This seems to correlate strongly with being organised and/or better at marketing and/or social media and/or getting the artwork out and shown wherever - including on BBC1!

I also discovered a few things in the final week of Home Is Where The Art Is

• One enterprising artist who participated in the programme has set up a Home Is Where The Art Is Facebook Page to promote the work of those participating. However that's going to be a lot of help to those artists who participated without a website or Facebook Page. One wonders who people are intended to contact them....
• Next - some of the artists produced work for the commissions based on other work they had done previously. Now this is quite a common approach used by some artists - and one which is often used for clients who have a tight budget. However I'd hesitate before calling it "bespoke" unless it was unique in every respect and only available to that client. Of course it's quite different if the client requests "one like that but tailored to our preferences for colours / things which are important to us".

Finally - some other individuals have also documented the details. But my posts remain the most comprehensive! :) 

• below are website and social media links for the artists who participated in Episodes 11-15 in week 3
• contact details are embedded in the artist's name
• commissions details are provided if self evident

Commission an Artist (Episodes 11-15)

This is about the artists with a name in the end credits of Home Is Where the Art Is (Episodes 11-15). 

It follows on from my previous three posts

• Home Is Where the Art Is - needs a makeover! in which I highlighted
• my concern about the absence of any name credit in text in the programme
• explain why it should be mandatory that all participants who are professional artists get a named credit.
• my attempt to redress the balance in 
• Commission an artist: 'Home is where the Art Is' (Episodes 1-5) 
• Commission an artist: 'Home is where the Art Is' (Episodes 6-10)

Episode 11

Location: South Lake District
Commission: up to £500
Budget: a piece of art to celebrate their recent move, and in particular to thank their children
Media represented: metal sculpture; glass or watercolour painting
Outcome: BOTH pieces were bought

Both artists sold their commissioned artworks.

The Artists in Episode 11 were: