Visual Arts

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Visual artists and arts nonprofits depend greatly on the largesse of individual donors, who fill the void left by the general retreat of government, foundations and corporations that used to support this field. Yet the largest gifts from donors too often go to well-known museums in major cities, while many smaller arts organizations, especially ones that serve communities of color or rural areas, struggle to raise money. Donors can address this imbalance by taking the time to learn about giving opportunities in visual arts that look beyond the usual suspects. This brief offers advice about how donors can get started and make a difference through mindful giving for the visual arts.

Strategies for Impact

Nonprofits are engaged in a range of efforts to support the visual arts, from community organizations that would benefit from more support to already well-funded metropolitan museums. Below, we discuss areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight several organizations that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting. 

  • Center access and equity. Diversity, equity, access and inclusion are big issues in visual arts philanthropy. A growing body of research underscores persistent inequities in the field affecting BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, and immigrants. Funders can make a difference by prioritizing BIPOC-led arts organizations and artists from underrepresented communities in their giving. Museum Hue is a national organization made up of more than 400 institutional members that provides support and recognition for Black, Indigenous, and people of color throughout museums and other cultural entities. In Atlanta, Tilsa Studios centers Black women in the fine arts. Chopsticks Alley Art in San Jose promotes Southeast Asian cultural heritage and community connection through art classes, exhibits and events. Anonymous Was a Woman gives grants to individual female artists over 40. Tessera Arts Collective supports womxn abstract artists of color in Philadelphia and beyond. Brown Art Ink supports black and Latinx artists through paid opportunities to show work in museums, galleries and public spaces. 

  • Think beyond big cities. Major donors give big to capital projects at large metropolitan museums. But there is a lot of space for donors of all sizes to support visual art in smaller towns and rural areas. The For Us, By Us Fund was created by two Black organizers in Portland, Maine, in response to community need for BIPOC-centered spaces to connect, collaborate and create. Public Space One in Iowa City is an artist-led, community-driven contemporary arts center. Donors might give to some of the many smaller arts organizations that exist in communities across the country. Charity Navigator can help donors locate such groups.

  • Take an expansive view of visual arts funding. The nonprofit visual arts field encompasses much more than museums. There are also community galleries, arts education nonprofits, arts centers, art conservation programs and organizations that support individual artists, very few of whom earn a living from art alone. ArtsXChange in East Point, Georgia, is an art space that empowers artists, activists and creative entrepreneurs to engage communities with art as a form of activism. The Black Artists + Designers Guild seeks to combat the underrepresentation of Black creatives in the art and design industries. Project Row Houses is an artists’ community in a historic African American neighborhood in Houston. The Foundation for Contemporary Arts makes grants to individual artists.

  • Give at the intersection of art and social change. Funding for visual arts is an opportunity to fuel meaningful social change. Nonprofit arts organizations focused on the intersection of art and social change include A Blade of Grass, which supports socially engaged artists, and Art for Justice, which brings artists and advocates together to disrupt mass incarceration and transform the U.S. criminal legal system through art. 

  • Fund virtual technology and digital content. Online art exhibits, forums and classes can make visual art more affordable and accessible while engaging new audiences. There was a dramatic increase in consumption of arts online during the early months of the pandemic, and now organizations and artists need help to effectively monetize and sustain virtual programming, from maintenance to technological upgrades for state-of-the-art digital visual storytelling.

  • Champion public art. Creative placemaking and public art — murals, street art, public sculpture or installations — can strengthen the economic and social fabric of communities, spark discussions and catalyze change. The Laundromat Project in New York empowers artists to be agents of change in their communities through art projects in laundromats. Precita Eyes Muralists in San Francisco is a community-based organization devoted to enriching and beautifying urban environments through public art and educational programming. 

Insights and Advice 

In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should take into account their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact to improve the field of visual arts. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

  • Offer flexible, unrestricted support. General operating support allows visual arts organizations and individual artists to use funding where it is needed, whether that is staffing, supplies, outreach, or anything else they know will be most impactful at a given time. Unrestricted funding gives both artists and arts organizations the flexibility they need to be creative and the sustainability that comes from having reliable support to keep the lights on.  

  • Back cross-sector approaches. Visual arts organizations are competing for funding with social service, healthcare, and other organizations that more directly address social concerns. Look for arts organizations and artists that communicate clearly about their work in these areas, which may be more nuanced than that of direct service providers, but can also positively affect attitudes and lives. Given that the visual arts are a well-documented tool for healing, donors can support visual arts organizations that partner across sectors with nonprofits focused on health. Art + Practice in Los Angeles partners with a nonprofit social services provider to support youth transitioning out of the foster care system through arts programs, paid internships and scholarships. A Window Between Worlds works at the intersection of art and mental wellness, with art workshops geared toward survivors of trauma.  

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy brief on Giving for Visual Arts. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about what’s happening in this area of philanthropy. The visual arts sector enjoys a robust network of entities that offer resources, data and information to enhance donors’ knowledge about giving opportunities. Helpful resources include Grantmakers in the Arts; SMU DataArts; Americans for the Arts; American Alliance of Museums; Culture Track; Arts Funders Forum: The Path Forward; Cultural New Deal for Cultural and Racial Justice and Hue Arts NYC.

To find more local nonprofit visual arts organizations that are well respected, Charity Navigator is a reputable place to search for worthy organizations around the country.

But the best way to get started giving for visual arts is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way. 

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.