ArtLifting: A Vehicle for Empowerment, Positivity, and Change
April 15, 2016 20:56
Before ArtLifting, I used to operate art groups in shelters. During that time, I saw amazing talent being poured into work that wound up adorning basements and closets, simply because many agencies and shelters do not have the resources to provide a shop or gallery for their artists. I strived to find a larger platform for artists living with homelessness and disabilities to celebrate and share their art with a global audience. I wanted to enable real change, and I realized that these artists needed a marketplace that was open year-round in order to truly connect with a larger community. Thus, after years of searching, I founded ArtLifting as a for-profit social enterprise with my brother Spencer in November of 2013.
When we founded ArtLifting, my brother and I knew that in order for our idea to work, we needed the ability to scale quickly and move even faster. Over one and a half million non-profits compete for grant money every year (in the U.S. alone), resulting in an environment that would stifle our ability to collaborate with artists to the fullest—waiting years in the process to build out the platform we knew ArtLifting could be for people living with homelessness and disabilities.
Because of the financial sustainability and scalability of ArtLifting’s model as a for-profit social enterprise, our dedicated online marketplace allows artists to secure income through the sale of prints, posters, and products utilizing their artworks as inspiration (along with the original pieces themselves). By showcasing and selling their artwork via ArtLifting.com, our artists create opportunities for self-empowerment while sharing their talent and stories with the world. We encourage you to connect with artists via ArtLifting.com to learn more about their craft, their tales, and their artwork.
In the end, the reason I chose to create ArtLifting was because of the artists I have met and continue to meet. From my time running art groups to my current role as Chief Happiness Spreader at ArtLifting, I am consistently astounded by the talent and drive I see. Please, don’t take my word for it.
See for yourself.
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ArtLifting is a vehicle for change. Our online marketplace offers a platform for artists living with homelessness and disabilities to cultivate positivity within their lives and the lives of others through the celebration and sale of their artwork—positivity that uplifts, inspires, and empowers.
Join the movement. Buy art that counts.
For more about our artists, view our Artists page and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for future blog posts, content, and updates.