Mariam Nihal

Saudi Gazette

 

Art Basel is one of the few most esteemed international art shows that provide a platform for artists and galleries from all across the world. Art Basel for Non-Profit Visual Arts Organizations facilitates contemporary works in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong.



Art Basel’s new crowd funding initiative was launched in partnership with Kickstarter, for creative projects to generate support for visual arts projects worldwide. Projects are proposed by non-profit arts organizations and chosen by jury members including Hammad Nasar, Asia Art Archive; Glenn Phillips, Getty Research Institute; and Mari Spirito, Protocinema.



Marc Speigler, director of Art Basel told Saudi Gazette that the crowd funding initiative is specifically designed for non-profit visual arts organizations. “We launched it because the non-profit sector is so vital to the future of the art world, yet more than ever, the spaces struggle to generate funding. Art Basel’s initiative was developed over the past year hoping to channel the energy of the global Art Basel community towards cutting-edge projects.”



Speigler oversees the global development of the organization across three shows in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong.



Hammad Naser, member of the independent jury for the Art Basel crowd funding initiative and head of research and program for Asia art archive in Hong Kong spoke to Saudi Gazette about the program.



“The development of art needs a healthy ecology across a wide spectrum of players, including: art schools to teach future artists; galleries to sell and promote their work; scholars and critics to find meaning in it; public museums and private collectors to collect and conserve it; and, governments and private foundations to support it.



In this ecology, it is often small (and sometimes not-so-small) non-profits that play the role of catalysts in the lives of artists. They host residencies, publish material, develop path-breaking projects that both push and support artists, encourage dialogue through exhibitions and talks - in short they make things happen. But these organizations often teeter on the edge of financial security, and are rarely known outside their immediate communities.



This is especially true in newer centers of the art world where the market and the museum (public and private) can consume most of the oxygen of visibility and energy. The Art Basel crowd funding initiative aims to catalyze the catalysts by helping non-profits access a wider community that may not be familiar with the wonderful work they do, and be willing to lend a hand,” Naser said.



Delfina Foundation’s first crowd funding campaign also took place with Art Basel’s crowd funding scheme.



Aaron Cezar, founding Director of Delfina Foundation said that 10 years ago the art world was heavily focused on Western Europe and North America and opportunities for artists from regions such as the MENA were limited.  “It was the dream when we began Delfina Foundation in 2007 that our artists would be part of a major museum show. Just last month over 10 former resident artists were part of the New Museum’s exhibition, Here and Elsewhere in New York.” He said the development of the arts today is driven by ensuring artists could access opportunities to develop their practice in supportive environments.  “Residencies are a model to nourish artistic practice,” Cezar added.



He said crowding-funding is amazing because anyone can become part of an art project.  “Kickstarter supporters get to share in the excitement of an idea, the nail biting race to secure the funding and the thrilling conclusion when the idea becomes reality. So when Art Basel launched this initiative it was the perfect opportunity to launch Delfina Foundation’s first crowd funding campaign.  We are happy to have increased exposure for our project through the Art Basel Crowdfunding Initiative.”



Cezar believes a growing number of people are interested in the visual arts, which has made the delicate eco-system of the art world more visible.  He said people see the crucial nurturing role that smaller non-profit art spaces play in an artist’s journey toward major museum exhibitions and commercial success.  “More so, there is also an awareness among patrons and the public alike that these small organizations need vital help and funding to create experimental spaces for artists.”



According to Cezar, the project Staging History, wanted to ensure that the rich history of performance art from the Arab world is not absent from today’s discussions and that contemporary artists from the region are part of the global conversation that is often dominated by Western narratives.



“Performance art has captured the global zeitgeist.” Aaron Cezar Art Basel invites non-profit visual arts organizations to submit their project on Kickstarter and to apply to be part of the Art Basel Crowdfunding Initiative https://www.artbasel.com/en/Crowdfunding/Start/Start-Your-Project