82 Artists Magazine December 2019
Outfit BUSINESS OF ART
a
rtists often get requests to
donate one or more works to
a benefit auction. Proponents
of these donations point out that they
support a good cause and can extend
an artist’s visibility. These observa-
tions may be true, but for best results,
there are other issues to consider
before gifting a work:- First and foremost, the charity
organization must be one that
you support and value. Many good
institutions exist, but when you
donate a work in support of a cause,
you must make sure your values align
with it. Think of your gift not simply
as an act of generosity, but also as
the establishment of a mutually
beneficial business arrangement.
Do you trust and respect the organi-
zation’s mission, management and
outcomes? Your work’s presence in
support of the organization means
you ally yourself with its project and
effort. If you support the association
enthusiastically, discuss the possi-
bility of doing an interview with the
local press to comment on your rea-
sons for sharing your work with such
a significant organization.- Donating a work to a non-profit
institution requires a contractual
agreement stating the condition of
the work, its opening bid price and
any qualifications for the arrange-
ment to proceed. You may need to
Donations
Done Right
Experience the joy of generosity with these
fi ve guidelines for gifting your artwork.
by C.J. KentPHOTO BY STEVE JOHNSONsubmit paperwork, such as a price
sheet from a show or an appraiser’s
assessment, showing that your other
works are valued at a price similar to
what you’re asking. This contractual
document is important for tax deduc-
tion purposes, although you should
also get a post-auction document that
confirms the final selling price for
your records. Usually a nonprofit is
diligent about maintaining paperwork
associated with its tax status. By the
time you donate the work, the dona-
tion paperwork should be processed.
If it isn’t, then you may wish to wait
until all is finalized.- Consider requesting a percent-
age of the proceeds. Because artists
are often asked for contributions,
many have argued that art donations
propagate a lack of respect for the
education and labor required to create
an artwork. This lack of appreciation
has made many organizations reassess
their process with artists. For exam-
ple, the arts organization Residency
Unlimited provides artists with 30 per-
cent of the final auction price to ensure
that the artists are supported as well
as the fund-raising organization. Many
artists need the income from their
work because visibility alone won’t