Sponsorships in the world of creatives

Usain Bolt receives a check for about 10.000.000 $ every year from Puma. Why? Because he can run really fast - faster, then any other person alive actually, and in several Olympic disciplines. But the apparent value of his skill seems to be overshadowed Rodger Federer's ability to play tennis, because in July 2018 Federer signed a 10 year deal with Japanese brand Uniqlo worth a reported $300 million. And yes, these ultra-performers indeed have immense value to the brands that sponsor them, as do the million other less known men and women around the world, who compete in various sports disciplines for the title of the best. But the idea of paid sponsorship isn't really exclusive to the field of competitive sports, cooks have theirs, and so do photographers, musicians and even folks on Youtube who review grills for a living get them.

But where are the sponsors for artists? Now I'm not saying there aren't any, I know brands like DaVinci offer forms of sponsorship to artists, be it free products or even artist retreats, and there are lots of others who mingle with the notion of providing free value to creatives in exchange for brand placements or endorsements on their social media channels. Yet I know so many people, who never even thought of contacting their local art supply store, or a bigger brand, and asked them for any options of collaboration. Be it in fear of rejection or just not arriving at the idea of doing it, I feel a lot of potential growth and value is left on the table. If any other profession that either completes or works with special equipment can have sponsors, why not we? To this point in my career, I have needed anything from huge and expensive metal panels to plain brushes and acrylic colours, and many times I have contacted shops or businesses that made or sold such goods for options of collaboration. Some said no, but others agreed - once I got a 1 m x 1 m x 2 m glass aquarium for free from a glassmaking company, that otherwise would have cost hundreds of euros. So my question is, should branding not be considered as a viable option for artists to save a few bucks or even build a relationship with the brand or shop, providing it. Now we might not run as fast as Bolt or play as hard as Federer, but I'm sure there are many of us who are immensely talented performers or can do the most realistic portraits you have ever seen, all of which could save immensely by getting the most common art-related expenses covered by someone. And if that someone were a large corporation like Golden, the cost of any materials provided would be less than invisible on their balance sheet. And all anyone needs to do to get a chance at it is ask.

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Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://survivingart.com/2018/11/02/sponsorships-in-the-world-of-creatives/

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