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Art Help & Info

Donations, Charities, Auctions and Art

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I’ve discussed donating art a few years ago on this blog, but since this is such a debated topic, I thought it would be useful to revisit it.  It’s great to have someone think so highly of your art that they believe it would help their organization to auction it off.  On the other hand, as your career progresses, you’ll find that you are being asked to donate your work to auctions A LOT.  Sometimes one a week.  At that rate, you won’t have any art left to sell.  So what’s an up and coming artist with a heart of gold to do?  Well it won’t be easy, but you’ll have to pick the ones you want to help (and feasibly can) and politely let the others know that you can’t.

Sounds simple enough, right?  There are a few considerations to keep in mind first.  Obviously if the auction/charity/event is to benefit something close to your heart, then those are the causes you’ll want to start with.  Some causes may not be in line with your beliefs- for example, I am a vegan, therefore I will only donate to charities that do not test on animals.  While you are narrowing down your favorites, also take a look at the event details:

Where is the event venue?  Is it a venue that you are proud to be associated with?

What is to become of your donated art- is it going to be hung on a museum wall or is it being used in an auction?

If it is an auction, what happens if the work is not sold– do you get it back?

Do you like the other artists’ work that will be seen with yours?

If it is an auction, is the starting bid price at a reasonable rate so as not to devalue your work?  Can you set the starting bid price yourself?  Can you set a reserve amount?

Do you get a percentage of the sale?

Will you receive free tickets to the event (presumably for you and a guest)?

If you cannot answer these questions, then don’t be shy- find out from the event organizer or coordinator.  Many organizations, while they mean well, do not realize that artists get these requests quite often and that they are essentially asking you for a donation worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, so don’t feel bad about looking out for yourself.  Also, be aware many organizations will try to sell you on the idea of donating as a tax write-off.  This is only partly true.  You can only deduct the supplies/materials used to create the piece.  You cannot write-off the actual art donated.  (This only applies to collectors of art that has appreciated so they donate to museums and get out of paying income tax on the appreciation.)  It’s unfair, I know, but that’s how it works, at least in the United States.  If you’re looking to get some sort of deduction, you should just write a check to the organization.  If you are happy with the event parameters and have available work to donate, go ahead with it, attend the event, and do some networking. Perhaps the auction winner will become your next collector…

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Art Help & Info, Sold

The 411 on Donating Your Art

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"New Realm" by Amy Guidry- Sold at Auction

I get asked to donate my artwork fairly often. And this topic has been broached with me before in the art marketing class that I have conducted. So I thought it might be helpful to offer some insight into donations. First, you won’t be able to do them all- and please don’t feel bad about it. I get letters and emails requesting my work, sometimes several in one month. If I donated to all of them, I’d be out of paintings. And a girl’s gotta eat, so I have to have something left to sell. Next, you should decide who you’d like to help. Some charities hold the same art auction every year, so if it’s one that you would like to help on a continual basis, you can go ahead and plan on that and mark your calendar for it in the upcoming year(s). Or, you may like to alternate who you help and plan on donating to a different charity next go round just to even out the playing field a bit.

When deciding on who you would like to donate to, there are a few things to take into consideration. What does your donation do for this charity, organization, etc.? What will you be supporting? Does this follow your personal beliefs? What type of venue will hold the event? Who are the other participating artists? Would you be honored to have your work seen in such an event and amongst the other artists’ work? What kind of publicity will you gain from this experience? Will your donation conflict with another obligation, be it an exhibit, juried show, etc.?

I know this is a lot to consider and may even sound selfish, but the truth is, there’s much more to consider when donating your art than just simply writing a check to support a cause. This is about more than just money because it also involves time and labor- lots of it. You’re an artist, you know that it wasn’t easy to create this piece you’re about to give away. It took time, supplies, energy, creativity, willpower, and probably involved a personal sacrifice ranging anywhere from sleep to your family. So yes, you should consider what you get out of this. And if you decide that you can’t part with your work for whatever reason, but would truly like to help, simply write a check for this organization, charity, etc. You’ll directly help them without feeling guilty. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with just stating the truth- “I’d love to help, but I have [fill in other obligation here] and won’t be able to. But please add me to your mailing list, I’d love to donate next year.”

Thoughts? Questions? Let me know, either here or at www.AmyGuidry.com!