The world is full of art, so you’re always just one search away from a website with generic mass-produced art for sale. That’s because the corporate metaverse serves up countless online stores offering something made by anonymous or unnamed artists who may make two cents from the sale—if they make anything at all. And they certainly don’t get any credit for their creation.
Sound fair? We don’t think so.
In contrast, at Art For Your Cause, every purchase pays an artist and benefits a nonprofit.
Artists are fairly compensated for their creativity and labor that bring artwork to life.
Think about your favorite art piece for a moment. Was it a painting that caught your eye in a gallery or a hand-crafted item you found at your local flea market? Each beloved piece has value and is worth something—to both you, and to the artist who made it.
Art for Your Cause empowers art buyers to be socially responsible through ethical purchases while owning beautifully curated art products. Unlike many other art retailers, your purchase benefits both a nonprofit and an artist.
How do e-commerce giants get away with not paying artists?
Let’s take a look at why paying artists matters, beyond the obvious. Artists need to share their art with the world, and many artists are not formally trained in best business practices. Therefore, when companies use artists to create designs and turn their creations into something they deem sellable, like masks, t-shirts, shower curtains, mugs, etc., artists may not be in a position to negotiate effectively for what they want and need. Not everyone is a marketing expert, artists just want to get their art seen and appreciated by as many people as possible and not be taken advantage of.
Most sites pay only a small licensing fee to an artist allowing a company to repurpose the art with no name, no connection, or benefit to the artist’s brand or values. Many corporations will go so far as to steal art, shamelessly copying art and printing it as their own.
When artists get a little name recognition for their work, the profit margins are typically unclear and inconsistent. Unfortunately, this practice has become a norm within the art community. That was until AFYC introduced a new and fair business model that benefits both artists and nonprofits. Now AFYC partnering artists can be fairly compensated for their work while championing a nonprofit and their cause. We think that this should be an important distinction to an art buyer or conscious consumer.
Giving back without giving away
Artists are also frequently asked by nonprofit organizations to donate their work, and charitable causes often benefit from the generous spirit of artists. Generosity is a wonderful virtue, but artists shouldn’t have to give themselves away in order to give, and they shouldn’t have to choose between their heart and their stomachs, either. When you provide artists with an opportunity to lift up others, while also supporting themselves, everyone is better for it. Here at AFYC we aim to eliminate the ‘starving artist’ mentality. We do our part to support this magnificent world by working directly with artists and important causes, allowing them to maintain their individuality, brand, and values.
Our business model
At Art For Your Cause, we enable artists to earn a profit, and support the greater good with every sale all in one fell swoop. 20% of every Art For Your Cause purchase goes to the artist, with no setup costs or overhead charges. Then 10% goes to a nonprofit. Finally, 20% goes to AFYC (for business operations). While many art platforms hide their business model, we proudly share those numbers. Our unique 360 degree approach drives world-changing ethical causes, supporting partner nonprofits as they continue to grow, and ensuring that artists have new ways to subsidize the creation of their work.
The joys of ethical consumption
Beyond paying artists, we are committed to supporting nonprofit organizations and making our art print sales more sustainable. We promote a more sustainable supply chain by very intentionally not keeping an inventory of our prints or products. So, unlike our competitors, we only print on-demand—nothing more to reduce waste and our carbon footprint with every purchase. While we may not offer instant, same-day delivery, we offer curated quality that gives back.
Shine with art that gives back
At Art For Your Cause, our art products are carefully curated. Our designers create custom-designed products for every artist that we work with, in turn maintaining the highest quality designs. On the other hand, mass produced products featuring company logos printed on merchandise turns consumers into walking billboards for companies that may or may not support a worthwhile cause.
With multi-million dollar advertising campaigns, clothing retailers have somehow convinced consumers the logos themselves are art. And while there’s undoubtedly art in fashion, we know we can do much more with a shoe than the brand name splattered across it.
We would rather fill the world with art. We know and curate art, and we want to nourish the world with real art that has a real story worth sharing. We make it easy for you to shine a much-needed spotlight on artists and their work.
We celebrate individuality and self-expression by adorning our lives with original art, sharing art products, and turning ourselves into moving art with wearable art pieces. We also lift the voices of underrepresented creators. By giving back to the causes artists care about most, we support them and make a meaningful impact all over the world by celebrating the healing, transformative, and authentic power of art.
Check out our curated gallery of artists to see what they’ve been working on—and embrace an online community filled with art.
