From Tip Jars to Patreon: Rebuilding Arts Funding from the Ground Up?

This week’s episode of All About Art tackles “patronage”, but on the micro scale. You’ve surely seen it before: “Buy me a Ko-Fi!” “Support me on Patreon!” and more - the latter of which you hear every time to tune into an episode of All About Art, because these sites allow your community to show support for the work they love and engage with.

So, using FOLLOW.ART’s Support My Practice feature as one of my case studies, I dive deeper into the initiatives helping reshape how creative work gets funded. I explore why these models emerged, what they're replacing, and what it actually feels like to ask for support as a creator, especially when you are juggling so many other platforms (spoiler: it's complicated!).

I also share some personal reflections on running this podcast for the last five years, the mental & emotional tax of self-promotion, and why £3 a month from one listener can make all the difference.

So, whether you're a creator navigating these platforms (FOLLOW.ART is for curators and artists specifically), or you’re someone who's wondered if those small contributions actually matter, or maybe you’re just curious about the future of creative sustainability, this episode offers a little bit of an overview of where we are and where we might be heading with micro-patronage.

You can follow FOLLOW.ART on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/followart.world/

You can check out FOLLOW.ART’s website here: https://follow.art/

ℹ️ #paidpartnership with FOLLOW.ART

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Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠

ABOUT THE HOST:

I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.

SOCIALS:

• Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinacker
• and LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/

This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/

COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/

Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein