Why and how we give

Art can be moving, inspiring, and transformative. But art also has the proven power to heal. Administrators of well-funded hospitals know this, which is why so many of them place artworks in their lobbies, hallways and patient rooms. But what about all the people being treated in facilities that don’t have the same resources as private hospitals?

At the same time, many emerging professional artists have more available artwork than there are venues to exhibit it or patrons to acquire it. A recent survey found that 75% of American artists made less than $10,000 a year, and almost half made less than $5,000.

ArtGivers is designed to address both of these challenges at once: making the healing benefits of art available to more people in our community, in a way that also supports artists.

We acquire art through various channels – primarily by purchasing it directly from emerging professional artists at negotiated rates – and make it available for free to mission-driven organizations such as free and charitable medical clinics, shelters, and drug rehab centers, to own and display in their facilities. This not only benefits participants in these organizations, but also staff members who are often stretched thin and under tremendous stress themselves.

In our culture, art has come to be seen as a mere luxury item, when in fact it’s a fundamental building block of community. But in order for it to bind all of us together, it must be a part of all of our lives. Too few people enjoy the emotional, psychological, and physical benefits of living with and around original art. There are so many healing spaces without art, and so much art without a home. ArtGivers is here to bridge that gap.

Photo above: Community House Men’s Shelter, Chapel Hill, NC