Patronage: Building the Infrastructure for the Next Generation of Artists
The traditional art world's infrastructure is broken, gatekept, and inaccessible. Patronage is an artist-led platform and proof-of-concept start-up engineered to rebuild this system from the ground up. We provide creators with the tools, visibility, and direct-support infrastructure the industry often withholds, creating a new blueprint for artistic production based on accessibility, trust, and community.Our vision is not just to fund art, but to fund the ecosystems that allow art to happen.
Our Proof-of-Concept: A Track Record of High-Impact Public Art
Patronage is already operational, demonstrated through a series of ambitious, artist-led projects that validate our model of blending physical installation, digital engagement, and systemic critique:
- “You’ve Walked Past Me So Many Times” – Launched with one of New Zealand's largest public art installations: 100 reclaimed traffic cones transformed into an interactive provocation on civic accountability. This project served as a live test of our public engagement model, generating 126k impressions and over 10,000 QR conversions in just 18 hours, alongside national media coverage.
- “90 Minutes in Te Komititanga Square” – A pioneering LiDAR-scanned NFT print series that explored a new model of high-profile patronage. The project achieved 500,000+ impressions and successfully placed artwork in the collections of prominent figures like Graeme Hart and Sir Stephen Tindall, demonstrating our ability to connect art with influential patrons.
- “How Many Times Have You Walked Past Me” – A scalable 100-bust public art programme using web3 to drive awareness and funds for Auckland’s unhoused. This project, with $50k in pending Creative New Zealand funding, exemplifies our commitment to art as a vehicle for social responsibility and collective action.
The Next Chapter: Scaling the Infrastructure
Our forthcoming project, “Cost of Passage | Utu o te Haerenga”—a commissioned public artwork for Auckland's Karangahape Road—will be the next major initiative hosted on the Patronage platform. It will further demonstrate our capacity to manage complex projects from concept to execution, involving civic partnerships, a network of ten charity partners, and an evolving digital hub.
Our Ask & The Movement
We have laid the groundwork: building a strong brand identity, exploring web3 integration, conceptualising metaverse galleries, and securing council and stakeholder relationships. We are now actively engaging with investors across Australasia and USA to evolve Patronage from a series of successful proof-of-concepts into a fully realised platform.
Patronage is more than a start-up; it is an active experiment in how art can connect communities, challenge systems, and build a more resilient future for creators. We are building the infrastructure. We invite you to build it with us.
Patronage.nz
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