What Is an Art Foundation, Actually?

The word “foundation” appears quite frequently in the art world, but I feel like most people, including those already working in the sector, would perhaps struggle to define what one actually is. This episode attempted to tackle that definition, and it may have clarified some things, but I also think it made things more confusing. 🤪

Inspired by my recent interview with Elisa Nuyten of the Vega Foundation (scroll further down for that episode😇), I got curious about the structural side of things. I cover:

1. What foundations do

2. How they’re funded

3. Who works in them

4. And where they sit in the broader art ecosystem.

I found it interesting to also trace the history of art foundations from Renaissance patronage through to the Guggenheim, the Warhol Foundation, Dia Art Foundation, and Prada Foundation, for example. I look at why foundations get established in the first place (legacy, tax structures, private wealth, artistic mission) and what makes them different from museums, galleries, and artist-run spaces.

A final note to this, and why I was motivated to look into it more: because public arts funding has been cut repeatedly in the UK (and elsewhere), foundations are increasingly filling gaps that governments no longer fill.

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If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠

Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠

ABOUT THE HOST:

I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.

SOCIALS:

• Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinacker
• and LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/

This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/

COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/

Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein

From Collector to Founder: Elisa Nuyten on Building The Vega Foundation

In this episode, I sat down with Elisa Nuyten, founder of The Vega Foundation, a Toronto-based organization dedicated to artists' film and video.

I speak to Elisa about what her foundation does - supporting a medium that many of us love but that often exists in the margins of the art world.

We talk about her journey from collector to foundation founder, including the practical realities of launching a foundation - the building blocks, the governance structures, and why she chose Toronto and Canada as home base.

I ask her about specific works from her collection that have shaped how she approaches the arts today, and why she felt compelled to focus specifically on moving image practices despite - or perhaps because of - the challenges this medium presents for collecting and display.

We talk about how the Vega Foundation has evolved over its first three years, the psychology of supporting experimental work, the unseen infrastructure that makes artists' film and video possible, and so much more.

Thank you Elisa for coming on the podcast!

You can follow The Vega Foundation on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thevegafoundation/

You can check out The Vega Foundation's website here: https://www.thevegafoundation.com/

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If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠

Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠

ABOUT THE HOST:

I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.

SOCIALS:

• Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinacker
• and LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/

This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/

COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/

Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein

This week’s episode of All About Art talks about money 💶💰💸👛💷✨👩‍💻.

The art world - well, in every profession I think, not just in our bubble - only speaks about it in whispers or over a few glasses of wine (if at all) but the silence around salaries and financial sustainability is actively harming people, especially those without a financial safety net behind them. Espeically now, when on last weekend’s episode of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott (Conservative MP) stated that the Conservatives plan to stop government funding for "dead-end" university courses (meaning creative arts) if they win the next general election. (Source: Arts Professional)

Although this episode was written and recorded before that interview aired, it is still an important listen. Drawing on data from the SML x ArtTactic Talent Report and my own career trajectory, I break down what jobs in the art world actually pay (spoiler: often less than the London Living Wage), why museum roles are structurally inaccessible to working-class applicants, and what the access problem really looks like in practice.

I also share practical advice including:

• the questions I now ask myself before taking on unpaid work

• how I managed my budget in my early London career

• and why transparency around money is one of the most radical things we can do for this industry.

Whether you’re just starting out, feeling stuck in a low salary, or wondering how anyone affords working in culture, this episode is for you.

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If you love what we do, support ALL ABOUT ART on PATREON! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/allaboutart⁠

Keep up to date on Instagram @allaboutartpodcast ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allaboutartpodcast/⁠

ABOUT THE HOST:

I am an Austrian-American art historian, curator, and writer. I obtained my BA in History of Art at University College London and my MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. My specializations are in contemporary art and the contemporary art market along with accessibility, engagement, and the demystification of the professional art sector.

SOCIALS:

• Instagram⁠ @alexandrasteinacker https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasteinacker
• and LinkedIn at ⁠Alexandra Steinacker-Clark⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-steinacker/

This episode is produced at Synergy https://synergy.tech/the-clubhouse/the-podcast-studio/

COVER ART: Lisa Schrofner a.k.a Liser⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.liser-art.com/ and Luca Laurence https://www.graffitikunst.at/

Research and Creative Assistant: Iris Epstein