On Patronage

What is arts patronage today? How can we carve out a contemporary patronage in the arts, one where artists are enabled in creative practice both in the present and future?

Where in the past artists were supported by the wealthy and influential, now they largely rely on grants, the occasional inclusion in exhibitions in public galleries and private support is commonly equated with collecting. Patronage offers an opportunity for building a long-term relationship with a creative practitioner through ongoing investment in their practice, for support beyond the individual work or project. So, what does support look like beyond being a (one-off) consumer of art? And how can patronage help shape discourse and the future of art history through social impact?

Date: Friday 23 February 2024
Time: 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Craft, Watson Place, Melbourne 3000

This event is presented by Craft as a part of the Melbourne Art Fair satellite program.

Melbourne Art Fair, Australia’s premier contemporary art fair, returns 22 – 25 February at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with a focus on solo shows and works of scale and significance. Explore and collect work by new and iconic artists, presented by 60 of the region’s leading galleries and Indigenous art centres.

Image credit: Installation view of Hannah Gartside’s 'Open-bodice moth in the starlight' 2023 on display at Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne.