Art Auctions . . . from page 6

Even Dodworth in the past used to organize art auctions until he realized that, although art auctions "may help the charity, they do a lot of harm as well, and are not the wonderful ‘win-win’ events I used to think they were."

Dodworth said the artist and dealer work hard to develop a reputation for the artist and, over time, raise prices to a level where there may be some profit for each of them. What happens to the credibility of this carefully constructed pricing structure, he asks, "when, as is very often the case, 300 well-to-do citizens at a charity auction witness [an artist's] painting, which they had all heretofore believed to be worth a couple of thousand dollars, fail to find a buyer at a couple of hundred dollars?" or worse, sells for that low amount [see Kershisnik example above]? This is the moment the artist decides to take up computer programming and the gallery owner begins to fend off bad publicity and a downturn in business as the buyer repeatedly brags about the “good deal” to friends—“potential buyers all,” Dodworth said.

In 1993, the Salt Lake Gallery Association, Salt Lake Art Center, and the Salt Lake City Arts Council tackled this problem by publishing the single-sided, one-page "Art Auctions: Guidelines for Institutions" to address the "increasing number of art auctions being produced [25-30 annually along the Wasatch Front, they claimed at the time] ," which they said would "effectively destroy the delicate art market for those very artists who believe in supporting a variety of social causes by donating their works of art for auction." They implied that charity art auctions are not a good idea, while realistically acknowledging anything they said or published wouldn't stop them from taking place.

Neither the guide, nor any reference to it, appears on any of the websites of these organizations. In 2007, however, the Utah Arts Council published on its website's Artist Resource Center section "Donating to Charity Auctions," an updated version of the earlier document by the Salt Lake City organizations. I won’t detail the points made, but please refer to them below or by going here.

In summary, the document encourages the organization to determine if the artist wants to set a minimum bid, take a percentage of the sale, or donate the work outright; invite the artist to attend the event; include the artist's name in promotional material; include items other than fine art; and ask collectors to donate art work.

Perhaps these guidelines were taken to heart by many nonprofit organizations and helped make a difference in the charity/artist/dealer/donor (buyer) conundrum. If so, there's still a lot of work to do if my conversation the other day with the gallery owner rings true to other art dealers.

As I was writing this article, I received a solicitation by email from a respected charity to donate artwork. In the emails back and forth I sent the above link to the art auction guidelines and received this response: "Thanks for that article. I've just forwarded it to our people. I think we fall in line with all their suggestions."

So, what's the solution? Is there a “wonderful” win-win?

The gallery owners' and art dealers' complaints aren't about the viability of nonprofit organizations or their need to raise funds. "They just need to find more creative ways to meet their financial obligations than setting up shop and selling original art at reduced prices," said Ruth Lubbers, executive director of the nonprofit Art Access. That means applying creative ways that take into account the points outlined in the Utah Arts Council-posted "Donating to Charity Auctions."

One of her solutions was the 300 Plates fundraiser, the same one lamented by the gallery owner I spoke with—evidence that even good solutions have unintended consequences and need continued vigilance and scrutiny to achieve status in the fabled “win-win” category. And, there have been few complaints registered with “Art” Access about this popular fundraiser being a commercial or reputational problem for artists or dealers, although sensitivity to the issue is on the radar. The event was initially recommended by one of the two 2009-2010 Utah Art Council Fellowship recipients, painter Joseph Ostraff. A guiding premise of both of these organizations is to help artists continue their work; thereby, strengthening the communities they serve [pet peeves are when representatives of non-arts organizations rush to artists (whom often they've never met) for donations for auction items but the arts are not integrated into their charters, efforts, programs, or recognitions or when artists are approached who are not invested in the purpose of the organization].

Years ago, the Assistant Director of the Utah State Office of Education told me (an intern at the time) a guiding point, "There's no shortage of money for a good cause, just a shortage of imagination about how to justify, obtain, and manage it," he said.

Imaginative solutions for nonprofit organizations should include an important parameter: visual arts as a fundraising tool should not deflate the market value of an artist's work—a boon to the artist and gallery. Then, board members and organization leaders who use art in fundraising auctions must know that the charity is helped financially to achieve its mission without harm to the artist's market value and without damaging profitability of the small business enterprise of an art gallery. As this stricture becomes more effectively employed, along with the other points made in “Donating to Charity Auctions,” all may approach a win-win situation.

Several thoughts to stimulate brainstorming about imaginative solutions:

· In addition to art work, include items donated by organization supporters and local merchants who have a broader customer base than art galleries.

· Auction a tour to an artist’s studio, an artist’s visit to your child’s school, a presentation by a gallery owner about collecting art, or the use of an art gallery for a family or social event.

· Commission several artists to make a suite of prints to be sold in support of the organization for (each artist receives a complimentary set of prints and possibly proceeds from the sale)

· Commission an artist to make works for sale related to the purposes of the charity. An example I described in the 1995 article was the time Ballet West’s guild invited Peter Forster to paint its dancers and then sold his works at a fundraiser, benefitting both Forster and the ballet company.

Although Utah artists are a generous breed and enjoy donating works to support worthwhile community causes, many say, “Enough is enough,” but usually give something anyway.

Painter Bonnie Sucec said, “Artists always give and don’t have much money anyway.” She added that “I don’t know what the answer is. But, I get hit up all the time.” And yet, she continued to give back in 1995, and still gives today—as do many of her peers.

The shared notion of being part of an interdependent world and having the desire to give back to it are at the core of artists’ livelihood dilemma related to art auctions.

"We are interdependent," wrote Santa Fe gallery owner Linda Durham in her blog this summer about what she called the July 4th holiday: “Interdependence Day.” “I'm not making that up just because it offers a bit of semi-clever wordplay for the day.”

The artists I know generally believe that humanity, earth, and its creatures are interdependent. Subsequently, they feel interconnected in their quest for a better world (idealistic, I know). They believe strong measures for making that better world are often found in the efforts of nonprofits, groups of like-minded people who work together to fulfill a common vision. They are generous towards charities and donate what for many is limited currency, their art work.

"There are causes and organizations we should give to because it's the right thing to do," said Jean Irwin, Salt Lake assemblage artist and director of Arts Education for the Utah Arts Council. "There's no need for bags, art work, or T-shirts in return."

What do you think about the relationship between fundraisers and the art community? Frank would like you to join the dialogue. Go here.