Patrons of the Arts, March 2026

Priorities are different for different people.  If you love sports, you will go out of your way to either be involved in sports or to watch sports.  This usually involves a commitment of time and money for equipment, team fees, tickets to sporting events and often clothing that displays the logo of your favourite team.  Many Canadians are avid sports fans and spend many hours in front of a TV watching a game or catching up on the scores. 

  Some Canadians love music and the theatre.  Taking music lessons, buying instruments, attending concerts, and performances are some things that people spend money on if this is their area of interest.  People who appreciate music and theatre usually also enjoy the visual arts.  They will go out of their way to attend artists’ openings, visit galleries and museums.  Folks interested in art history will even travel to other countries to take in historic buildings and museums to view art and architecture created centuries ago.  Many of these endeavours require an outlay of money.

Patrons of the arts are few and far between for the most part.  Historically, artists were supported by royalty and the church.  The monoprint featured in this blog is a view of Siena Cathedral in Piazza del Duomo, Siena, Italy.  This cathedral was started in 1215 and took hundreds of years to complete.  The patrons of the time who financially supported the building of the cathedral had their faces and names carved and added to the facade of the cathedral over the main entrance.  They are immortalized on this magnificent building for all to see.  Today, if you are a big donor to many organizations, the most you can hope for is a brass plate with your name on it added to a plaque in the foyer of the building. 

  Modern artists rely on sales of their work to support their creative endeavours.   Making a living as an artist is very difficult, if not impossible.  Making a name for yourself requires tenacity and stamina.  Submitting work to galleries that put out calls for entry can be time-consuming and expensive.  There is no guarantee your work will be shown.  Many artists have to work at other jobs to support themselves, and their art often becomes a side project. 

  My point here is that I encourage you to support artists whenever you are able.  Attend art fairs and shows, and if you can afford it, purchase that piece of art you absolutely must have.  You will make your life richer, and you will also be supporting someone’s creative abilities.