Two Big Questions to Ask Before Donating Art to a Charity
Carrie LewisThere's an ongoing debate about whether artists should participate with charities by donating artwork.
Non-artists are familiar with charities and simply donating money. But if you're an artist, odds are good you've also had a charity approach you-sometimes out of the clear blue-and ask if you'd like to donate one or two pieces of artwork to their fundraiser auction or raffle.
Some artists see these events as a means of gaining exposure for their work, especially since many charities have high-power supporters who have money and aren't afraid to spend it on art.
Other artists view charitable donations as devaluing their work. There is, after all, no way to guarantee the artwork will sell for anything near normal retail value. Not to mention that usually there's no additional benefit from the sale except for the aforementioned exposure.
I've participated in many charities over the years, and I have my own opinions about it. Some have been good experiences and have resulted in subsequent portrait work. Some have been not so good.
For any artist considering donating to a charity, here are the two most important questions to ask:
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