Art Made Affordable As Artists Sell Works For £200 or Less

Artists across the country are finding innovative ways to support both each other as well as those of us battling against COVID-19.

While the hashtag #artistsupportpledge gathers momentum as artists put up works for £200 or less, pledging to buy works from each other to help keep each other afloat, a London gallery has decided to auction off artworks with the proceeds donated to workers on the front line, as well as donating some of the pieces to NHS staff. There's never been a better time to snap up a new piece; aside from the bargains to be had, the money you spend will be helping those that need it.

As the effects of COVID-19 are being felt all around the world, gallery Blank White Space (opens in new tab) has decided to mobilise the support of artists everywhere by putting together an online auction entitled, The Art of Staying Home (opens in new tab). All proceeds from the auction will go towards two amazing causes: Global Giving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, helping communities around the world fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and Meals for the NHS, who give meals to hungry NHS staff as they come off their shifts. Alongside this, Blank White Space will be donating 20 prints to NHS workers.

Up for auction is Pink Smoke, a Giclee print on photo rag paper, limited edition of 50 prints, by Maria Lax. The value is approx £125 and bidding starts at £60.

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Also up for auction is 'The Beyondness of Things' etching No.9, combining abstract layers of pastel colours with the new etching technique called photopolymer, by Clare Grossman. The value of this piece, 18cm x 18cm, is approx £250, and bidding will start at £125.

Love Birds, an A4 illustration by La Rousse, is accepting bids from £35.

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No. 6, by Olly Fathers, is a card and wood effect vinyl, accepting bids from £100.

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There are a total of 15 different artworks available to choose from (see them here (opens in new tab)), with the proceeds all going to charity.

Meanwhile, hundreds and thousands of artists (so far 34,349 to be exact) have taken to Instagram to put up works priced at £200 or less, turning the #artistsupportpledge (opens in new tab) hashtag into a virtual gallery of affordable art.

As many British artists have found themselves without work (as exhibitions across the Nation are postponed and commission work dries up), artist Matthew Burrows has initiated the Artist Support Pledge (#artistsupportpledge (opens in new tab)) in an attempt to help alleviate financial pressures the art world is seeing.

The concept is a simple one. Artists post on Instagram pieces of their work that are willing to sell for no more than £200. Every time an artist reaches £1,000 of sales they pledge to buy another artist’s work for £200. The pledge is an amazing way for people to collect work from fantastic artists at an affordable price while supporting the British art industry.

Among them, Sophie Derrick (opens in new tab) has pledged several pieces of art for the initiative, including limited edition prints from her 'Close to Nothing' series, limited edition of 50, priced at £150 each.

A previous exhibitor at the prestigious Royal Academy Summer show, Sophie photographs the act of painting onto her own skin and then paints on top of the photographs, creating a layering of image of paint and painted image, blurring the boundaries between the two.

To see more affordable art, browse #artistsupportpledge (opens in new tab) on Instagram.