When I was a grad student at the University of Southern California, I interned for a brief period of time for an organization called United States Artists. The organization was founded on a study conducted by the Urban Institute in 2003 that found 96% of Americans valued art in their lives, while only 27% valued artists. The organization was launched to illuminate the value of artists to American society and address their economic challenges. Although I was just a small part of the organization for a short time, it profoundly affected my career and my outlook on the arts.
It’s with this study in mind, that I want to take a moment to thank our clients. We are in the middle of an unprecedented time and you have continued to support our small business and our artists. Every purchase creates income for these artists to put food on their table, shelter overhead, and takes care of themselves and their families.
We need art now more than ever. Can you imagine being safe in your home for several weeks without art on your walls? Without music to listen to? Without tv shows and movies and Netflix? It’s all art—made by artists—that’s making your time at home more enjoyable. By buying a piece of artwork, you’re making it so that our small business can live to fight another day, and these artists can survive and thrive to create another day.
Your purchase is more than just a beautiful way to decorate your home or office—it’s supporting a small business, our families, and our artists. Your dollars act as a vote for the kind of world you want to see. Thank you for supporting artists—now more than ever.
