I've written a lot about donating your art.
It's always good to donate your talents to a cause you believe in–whether it's donating your art, your organizational skills, your time, or whatever.
When you donate your art, make sure you get credit! My assistant, Shari Cornish, donated a design to her Vermont NPR station to use on a mug. She got her name and credit on the mug and on the Web site. So many people forget to give credit. It's usually not malicious, but just an oversight due to being overworked and underpaid.
3 thoughts on “Donating Art to a Favorite Cause”
Our auction last week netted about $27 thousand for our local Artists Guild- an astonishing amount of money in a tiny town. The money will go to the arts in education in local schools and the upkeep of the Brandon Artists Guild. This is our 9th year, and I’ve made 15th objets d’art: a life sized pig, Adirondack Rocker, Dogs, Artist palettes, giant birdhouses, etc… It’s an annual challenge and I’m kinda burned out right now. but the arts have turned the tide in our little town from depressed to renaissance. And I am thrilled to have been here throughout the process. Shari Cornish’s VPR mug is brilliant though- she donates one design and the reproduction of the mug is excellent long term advertising. Very Smart!
I should add that individual artists receive 0 for their labor- part of the 501c3 complexity.
Alyson, we would also advise artists to request that they be informed of the price that their donated artwork brought at auction (or sale) and who purchased the artwork. When a group requests permission to use an image of my artwork, I always request that my website address be used in conjunction with the artwork. Recently a new frame shop in Franklin, TN, requested permission to use the image of one of my paintings of the town on their brochure and on their web site. They were happy to do so; this can help to promote my artwork with their customers. All the Best, Tommy Thompson