Since launching Artprof.org, it’s been thrilling for me to watch our creative community grow. When I’m having a crummy day, I re-read viewer testimonials, which always gives me a lift. Here’s one that made me laugh out loud: “I’ve replaced Netflix with Art Prof Instagram Live videos.” Now that’s a compliment!
In our staff group, we have many lists. One list stands out: my queue of 34 videos that have been sitting on my server for weeks, some even for months. Why? We don’t have the funding to hire a sound designer to do the sound mixes. (that’s not even counting the hundreds of hours of footage that have been shot, but not edited!)
With the exception of 2 interns this summer, I have done all of the editing since we started. Not because I knew anything about editing, but because if I didn’t do it, no one else would. (only took me a year to learn Premiere!)
After being on sabbatical, I’m returning to teach at RISD in September. With my teaching schedule, I know that I won’t be able to keep my prior production schedule. The only solution is to hire editors and sound designers.
If everyone on this email list donated $5 a month, we could easily pay our TAs, editors, sound designers, a web developer, and cover critical expenses. Beyond that, we can show you what we are REALLY capable of!!!
One fundamental premise of our mission was for Artprof.org to be 100% free. I really, really don’t want to have to set up a paywall, but we’re at a point where we may have to. I literally have 20 years of content stuck in my head that I want to share with you! I care deeply about this artistic family and I want so much for us to keep thriving.
Clara
ART PROF is a free, online educational platform for visual arts for people of all ages and means. Artprof.org features video courses, art critiques, an encyclopedia of art supplies, and more.
Clara Lieu 
Hi Clara,
Been pondering thisâ¦
You know, you would still be a non-profit type of organization if you charged a small feeâ¦say, the $5/month, wouldnât you? It would still be within the means of the people who are subscribed, you would thinkâ¦we all have computers, rightâ¦so, we are all in the economic strata that can afford that.
I loved the idea of âfree to allâ, too. I donât have tons of money and my means will, at the end of this coming school year, be cut in half, so I donated what you had mentioned to be the minimum for every subscriber to donate, ie. $1/month that would allow Art Prof to continue.
But, honestly, a small, $5/month fee, for the content and the community and the âheartâ you are offering at Art Profâ¦?? Amazingly valuable!!
I donât think you should feel bad AT ALL for charging a minimal fee. Then, if anyone can donate anything more, that will free you up to do more. Maybe, in time, you could offer Art Prof free to people in certain circumstances who REALLY, ABSOLUTELY canât afford the minimal fee.
My mind is kind of going in the direction of those tiny loans that help people in developing countries to get small businesses startedâ¦micro loans? They are supposed to pay them back within a certain time frame and the majority of them do because they are so motivated to work and get their businesses growing. That way they âpay it forwardâ to give someone else an opportunity. Art Prof could very well be a training program for that kind of situation. ð Your âmicro-loanâ could be free art training. [Just me, musing⦠ð]
I think what you are doing is marvellous!!
Going, now, to up my donation to $5/month. [Done..If you decide to charge $5/month, I will have to delete the $5/month donation and just pay the $5/month fee. Then, when Iâm rich and famous [or just rich ð] I could donate more.
God bless!
Constance
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
Thanks for your thoughts and support Constance, we greatly appreciate it. Right now we are doing everything we can to keep the site free, hopefully we find a solution!
Chuck Close advice- Break big problems down into bite size pieces. Sorry about you feeling low some times. Use ART as a great escape. I visit museums and some galleries for therapy. It always works. Rejection is pandemic. I have a GREAT phone buddy/artist to talk with often. Just some ideas. ART ON!!!!! Sincerely, Bob Ragland
Non-Starving Artist NPR/bobragland bobraglandl/Facebook.com bobraglandnonstarvingartist.blogsopt.com