We recently caught up with Nick Barbee, TIF Round 9 Recipient (2017) to ask him about his project, the Artist Lending Library (or A.L.L. for short).
The Artist Lending Library by Nick Barbee provides a service to artists and fosters art appreciation. A.L.L. was designed to broaden and diversify art collecting by significantly reducing the cost of bringing original art into the home. The economic threshold to collecting prevents artists from connecting to an audience. Patrons typically invest thousands of dollars into purchasing, displaying, and insuring art. While this model has its benefits, it also leads to art becoming a symbol of status and wealth. By removing the economic hurdle of purchasing, we foster a community of new art patrons.
TIF Q+A:
How many years has it been since your project was completed?
I launched ALL in November of 2017 and it is still operating.
How did TIF funding contribute to the success of your project?
The Idea fund let me get the project off the ground. I used funding to buy art and build a collection. That would not have been possible without the Idea Fund. The Library is sustained on membership dues.
How has your project grown or developed since then? Can you give us some facts as to which communities you were able to reach with your project?
This project is still happening and still growing. I was able to buy art work directly from 25 artists and I have 22 Active Borrowers, ranging in age from 14-65.
Do you have any words of wisdom for artists who hope to follow in your footsteps?
Do more projects based in Galveston.