The UK art scene is renowned internationally, however, fame and fortune as a result of one’s craft is currently limited to a ringfenced selection of names such as Banksy, Hirst, Hockney, and Emin. Yet, when it comes to emerging talent, what can we expect from the UK art scene in 2024? With enrolment in arts subjects plummeting by 47% at GCSE and 29% at A-level in 2023, without independent funding and support from private investors, Britain’s young artists will have a challenging path in front of them to obtain similar levels of career success seen with high-profile practitioners. This year, proprietary research from the International Body of Art has revealed 26% of artists have had to abandon their careers in the arts due to limited financial prospects. Now providing a vital lifeline for up-and-coming artists, IBA has launched its proprietary platform, ‘Projects’, to support in the development of careers in the arts. Allowing funders to both sponsor and connect with the artists, the platform facilitates an intimate connection between donors and artists who fall outside of the traditional bounds of the art institution and arrives to support fledging artists attempting to break the mould.
Within the context of a £2.2bn industry, the art world is one of the most homogenous sectors – with stats from the Smithsonian revealing that 85% of the artists featured in permanent collections are white and 87% are men. Serving as the antithesis to the art world’s elitism and the hazy market-driven control, IBA gives underrepresented artists a platform, both in the form of their quarterly exhibition programme and by helping artists acquire funding through their first-of-its-kind crowdfunding platform. Backers who choose to support IBA are introduced to the inner workings of curating an exhibition and have the opportunity to collaborate and engage with the artists – offering insight into works and ideas that aren’t given adequate light in mega galleries and institutions.
To this end, IBA’s proprietary research has revealed that a staggering 35% of ethnic minority artists have had to abandon a career in the arts due to having limited financial backing, and separate reports show that just 7.9% of professionals within the creative industries come from working-class backgrounds. The barriers to entry in the art world are varied – low-paid jobs, less-than-favourable working conditions, and a culture seeped in nepotism means that many artists and art enthusiasts remain discouraged from pursuing careers in the industry.
To contribute to a project there are various options of different values, ranging from £5 to £1100. With each contribution, there are different ‘rewards’. These can range from a signed ‘thank you’ note, to private premier invitations, 1-on-1 Q&A calls, or even an extended meditation session with an artist. Having been created by the artists themselves, each reward is tailored to its project, meaning that funders are sure to receive a reward that they love based upon which project they connect with and contribute to. With proprietary research unveiling that almost 1-in-4 art investors (21%) are actively looking to support underrepresented artists, ‘Projects’ allows early-stage art collectors to connect with some of the country’s most promising emerging artists, with the aim of breaking down the barriers to entry for both artists and art enthusiasts.
Below are a few artists that will have their work debuted on the ‘Projects’ platform:
“IBA provides the opportunity for artists to be true to themselves. Because of this, I’m able to compel my honest story to the whole world, unmediated by the rhetorics of larger institutions who want to control my narrative. This project is a matter of personal and artistic integrity”.
Malik Marble, Project titled “If I Died 2NITE”.
“IBA gives rise to a new paradigm of art making, one that encourages originality and reignites the spark of possibility.”
“Working alongside IBA is an empowering space of being acknowledged and trusted to work outside of the traditional art frameworks”
Tiffany Singh, Project titled “Vermillion Rising”
April Kelly, IBA’s project manager, comments on ‘Projects’ aims and the need to support emerging artists:
“In our artist support and exhibition curation, we always ensured that artists felt that they could be experimental, that they could take risks, and that they could be supported in creating honest, passionate, and personal works. After an early exhibition, we experienced artists thanking us for giving them this freedom- it was then that we realised how profound the problems of the art world are.
“Its rigidity does not simply affect access, but it continues to dictate from within the work of artists. The traditional market almost forces artists to keep making the same works that are instantly sellable and recognisable, so it doesn’t actually allow any room for innovation. That’s what we want to be here for.
“On the other side of things, throughout our time organising exhibitions we’ve consistently had the audience thank us for creating an art space that is unpretentious and community-focused. We always have our artists present throughout the shows and try to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere. The understanding that these kinds of environments are missing in the art world further informed the development of ‘Projects’ – the community aspect of this and the involvement of the audience is as important as anything else.”
CEO of the International Body of Art, Maria Artool, comments:
“ ‘Projects’ serves as a unique platform in the realm of visual arts. Its distinctiveness is rooted in its unwavering commitment to addressing a crucial issue in the creative industries. With each project tackling crucial issues of underrepresentation in the sector.
“What truly sets IBA’s Projects platform apart is its focus on community. It’s not just about funding projects for the sake of it; it’s about becoming part of an extraordinarily diverse, open-minded, international, and innovative community that thinks outside the box and challenges barriers.
“While individual projects offer their own set of rewards that align with their artistic goals, the platform as a whole provides a space for art lovers and enthusiasts to actively shape the future of the art world. By selecting which projects should receive funding and be brought to life, backers are invited to play a unique role in defining the future of art. They become an integral part of the artistic process, which is a structure that is the first of its kind in the industry.
“In this vision, IBA is nurturing a beautiful and promising community that’s breaking new ground in the world of art.”
