ArtLifting is sells homeless artists’ works in a traditional online gallery, which can benefit the artists long-term.
Listed as a ‘B Corporation’ (a for profit social enterprise) ArtLifting sources homeless or disabled artists from across American community programs. Their online shop contains original works, prints and merchandise such as phone cases, allowing the artists to receive a steady income in addition to one-off piece sales. Works are priced from $75 up to $1700 for originals. Artists receive 55 percent of sales, with their stories told alongside their artworks. ArtLifting also targets large corporations to decorate their offices with artworks that directly support homeless people — Microsoft is already a major client.
Founder Liz Powers says that a for-profit business model generated the funds necessary to help struggling artists much faster than a non-profit could:
“I didn’t want to rely on grant money to grow. I wanted to grow the pot of money.”
Via: Springwise
