How Artists Contribute to Charities

Kahlil Gibran once said, “You give but little when you give of possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” This quote highlights how artists support charities by offering their skills, time, and empathy to aid those in need.

From my own experience, I’ve learned how fulfilling it can be to combine kindness with action to make a positive impact. During a particularly cold winter, a group of artists and I organized an art exhibition in a local artist’s studio, donating a portion of our earnings to City Harvest, an organization focused on combating hunger. On another occasion, instead of charging a fee for speaking at an artist’s event, I encouraged attendees to bring new, warm pajamas for children, which I then donated to The Pajama Program, a group that provides sleepwear and nurturing books to children in need. These efforts not only supported these causes but also raised awareness about their vital work in our communities.

As Anne Frank once said, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Earlier, you read about Elaine Poggi, a photographer who founded The Foundation For Photo/Art in Hospitals to bring art into medical spaces. She, along with many other photographers involved, shares her talent to display beautiful nature-inspired images that help lift the spirits of patients in healthcare facilities around the globe.

Small Actions Lead to Big Changes

You don’t need to create foundations or dedicate large amounts of artwork or time to make a meaningful impact. There are countless other ways to contribute. For instance, artists can volunteer in art education programs, teach art classes to seniors, or paint murals in community centers.

Helping others can be just a click away. We also see how many artists use social media platforms to support charitable causes. Rather than only promoting themselves, these artists frequently share important posts and links about different causes, showcasing the generous spirit of those who use platforms like Twitter and Facebook to help others.

Turning Tragedy Into Positive Action

In an article about the Kids & Art Foundation by Caroline Robbins, an artist who organizes special projects for the organization, she shares the story of Purvi Shah. Purvi’s child was diagnosed with cancer at the age of three and sadly passed away six years later. In 2008, Purvi founded the Kids & Art Foundation, inspired by the healing power that moments of art and creativity had on her son, Amaey, and their entire family during his cancer treatments. Caroline, who has worked in children’s art education for many years, has personally witnessed how art can be a powerful tool for healing.

Seeking Out Opportunities

The opportunities to help others are vast, with countless programs focused on healing various societal wounds—whether it’s health struggles, poverty, homelessness, animal cruelty, or gender inequality, to name a few. Artists can make a difference in so many places, including local orphanages, hospitals, shelters, animal welfare organizations, neighborhood improvement projects, and religious and cultural institutions.

In Steve Barr’s article Drawing Funny Pictures to Help Kids Heal, you’ll read about how his volunteer work drawing cartoons for children in a hospital grew into the nonprofit organization Drawn to Help.

Utilizing Resources

If you’re looking for ways to support charities, a valuable resource you can use is Idealist. It “connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.” By signing up, you can receive daily listings of charity opportunities. You can customize how often you get updates and choose the causes you care about most, including filtering by geographic region.