Reflecting On Our Year During COVID-19
In response to COVID-19 closures and pre-existing barriers to engagement for POVA artists, we made many changes this year in order to improve Artist Collective program accessibility.
Below are a few of the ways we adapted during FY 2020-2021:
Created new ways in which our artists were able to engage with our programming (i.e. digital forms, art supply care packages, delivery volunteer positions, etc).
Created new ways for potential customers all over the globe to interact and purchase artwork (i.e. virtual gallery space, virtual events, online art-style quizzes)
Received donated laptops from Dell Technologies to provide virtual learning and engagement opportunities for artists
Started coordinating studio appointments with artists so they could work independently
Hosted our first ever virtual Gold Key Gala fundraiser with over 150 attendees
Original artwork sales were lower this year because of the lack of in-person shows and opportunities for potential customers to see the artwork, meet the artist, and purchase the piece. While we did not sell as much original artwork as previous years, we did increase the income we earned for our artists through reproductions—specifically through holiday card sales which allowed us to maintain our art revenue during this difficult fiscal year. Shop POVA artwork HERE before June 30, 2021 to help us meet our artwork sales goal for the year!
Your Impact:
We are thrilled to announce that in 2020, 10 out of 16 artists earned more than $600—a 67% increase from the previous year. This income allowed our artists to purchase necessities like rent, groceries, and utilities, invest in their careers by purchasing art supplies and workshops, as well as enhance their quality of life by investing in their emotional and personal self-care. With your help, we also shipped POVA artwork and merchandise to all 50 states in 2020 through our #50in20 campaign!
In addition to offering income earning opportunities through selling artwork, our Artist Collective program created two additional revenue streams for our participating artists this year.
Non-Exclusive Copyright License - During the holidays, we were able to license a few of our artists’ images with a “Non-Exclusive Copyright License” so individuals could print and distribute a replication of the purchased original artwork as a custom holiday card. One exciting customer for this project was country singer, Tennille Townes, who purchased Tré Deuce Ronin's "Ho, Ho, Ho" design. Both our artists and organization earned a commission from the licenses. In addition to generating revenue through the copyright license, we were also able to create additional exposure for ourselves with the holiday cards.
Teaching Artist Program - We launched a teaching artist program this past year where corporations hire one of our artists to lead them and their employees through an art workshop (virtually or in-person). After testing this model out virtually with Dell Technologies this past year with a couple different artists, we have partnered with Visit.org to continue to facilitate workshops for corporations in exchange for a donation that also provides income to our teaching artists impacted by homelessness.
These opportunities have expanded the ways our artists think about earning income as a creative, as well as provide them with increased exposure to funding and careers in the arts.
POVA Artist, A.M. HASSAN, leading a group of Dell employees in a virtual acrylic painting workshop where she demonstrated and instructed them on how to paint a sunset.