The Art of Philanthropy

The Art of Philanthropy
Pouring Heart into Art

As we ‘emerge’ and embrace a season full of events after a long hiatus (which shall remain nameless), it is exciting to be in-person again, with our design family, dressing up with a new appreciation for what we have - good health, good friends and an industry we love.

Those who saw their hard work come to life at last week’s IIDA Fashion Show - the ‘Cinderella’ of our local events - know firsthand the tremendous amount of dedication, time, and pure man hours involved in making that event one of the hottest tickets in town. For some additional grit and details, please check out last month’s Wire article Behind-the-Scenes of the Fashion Show.

Also occurring recently was the annual Art Uncorked event, brought to you by the IIDA Community Engagement Committee, held at Curio on Canal Street in Boston back on October 5. This event, though more intimate than the Fashion Show, provided a venue for showcasing the tremendous talent of our local design community, as well as giving us the opportunity, both individually and as a group, to be philanthropic.

The process for acquiring art begins at least 6 months prior to the event date as Joanna Jackson, the event chair of Art Uncorked, connects with and enlists the talents of local designers to provide artwork for bidding. Additionally, as the event approaches, planning continues with raffle donations, as well as collecting and cataloging the artwork. This year, on the heels of success of the virtual model, a bidding website was also offered, where people had the option to log on, view, and bid on the art work without having to attend in person.

The recipient of proceeds from this event was Art in Giving, a nonprofit organization that funds childhood cancer research through the sale of fine art. The cheerful drawing used as the title image for this article is based on a drawing by Rachel Molly Markoff, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in January of 1992, and passed away in October of the same year - one week after her ninth birthday. Rachel loved flowers, and her twin sister, Audrey (now an artist herself). Her parents, Gary and Eliane established Art in Giving, which pairs the work of some 50 prominent and emerging artists with interior designers and their clients, individual art collectors and corporations who purchase or lease art for their buildings, employees, board members, guest speakers or for personal gifts.

Unlike ‘for profit’ galleries, proceeds generated through Art in Giving are split, with 50% funding the artist and 50% directed to cancer research.

To date, Art in Giving has raised more than $2 million in direct seed funding for talented cancer researchers at Stanford University Medical School, Yale University School of Medicine, Mass General Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and more. The focus is on finding causes and cures for childhood brain tumors and gliomas.

Next year, as we attend Art Uncorked as designers, artists, art enthusiasts, or sponsors, whether in-person or silently from home, we do so with a heart of giving! Interested in learning more about Art in Giving and their featured artists? Check out their website here.