The British Art world has historically been shrouded in exclusivity, with government reports highlighting that those from a white or middle-to-upper middle-class background were 80% more likely to participate in the arts than those from a minority or working-class background. Today, The International Body of Art (IBA) – an arts company that helps launch emerging artists’ careers by helping them secure funding and exhibition opportunities – has revealed just how deep both nepotism and exclusivity run in the art world. The research has unveiled that 31% of working-class artists have been unable to progress in their careers due to having no connections in the industry, and 21% of art world professionals are only able to sustain their careers through the financial support of their families. Addressing the entrenched barriers which are preventing underrepresented artists from succeeding in the UK, IBA has launched its proprietary platform, ‘Projects’ to support emerging artists in developing their careers in the arts. The first-of-its-kind platform provides a vital lifeline for underrepresented creatives, allowing funders to both sponsor and connect with the artists.

The art world’s stark inequalities are systemic, with those who come from a working-class background seeing tangible impacts of their backgrounds impressed on their careers. Recently, reports unveiled that the amount of working-class artists in Britain sat at 8% – which was nearly half of what it was 50 years ago. Decades of austerity and funding cuts to arts programmes in schools have unfurled into an art world that values connections over creativity – with current funding sitting at a mere £9.40 per pupil at state schools, and the PM announcing plans to curb arts degrees. The concrete effects of culled funding in arts education can be seen through research from IBA unveiling that 23% of working-class artists have had to stop working in the arts due to having limited financial backing.

With 23% of art professionals reporting that they had to work for years in the arts before getting a paid job, IBA’s Projects’ facilitate an intimate connection between donors and artists who fall outside of the traditional bounds of the art institution. Highlighting the dire need for initiatives such as this, individual grants from Arts Council England for UK artists declined by a staggering £5.2m year on year between 2008 and 2019, often with ethnic minority, working class and female artists being disproportionately affected.

Serving as the antithesis to the art world’s elitism and the hazy market-driven control, IBA gives underrepresented artists a platform, both in the form of their quarterly exhibition programme and by helping artists acquire funding through their first-of-its-kind crowdfunding platform. Backers who choose to support IBA are introduced to the inner workings of curating an exhibition and have the opportunity to collaborate and engage with the artists – offering insight into works and ideas that aren’t given adequate light in mega galleries and institutions.

To contribute to a project there are various options of different values, ranging from £5 to £1100. With each contribution, there are different ‘rewards’. These can range from a signed ‘thank you’ note, to private premier invitations, 1-on-1 Q&A calls, or even an extended meditation session with an artist. Having been created by the artists themselves, each reward is tailored to its project, meaning that funders are sure to receive a reward that they love based upon which project they connect with and contribute to. With proprietary research unveiling that almost 1-in-4 art investors (21%) are actively looking to support underrepresented artists, ‘Projects’ allows early-stage art collectors to connect with some of the country’s most promising emerging artists, with the aim of breaking down the barriers to entry for both artists and art enthusiasts.

April Kelly, IBA’s project manager, comments on ‘Projects’ aims and the need to support emerging artists:

“In our artist support and exhibition curation, we always ensured that artists felt that they could be experimental, that they could take risks, and that they could be supported in creating honest, passionate, and personal works. After an early exhibition, we experienced artists thanking us for giving them this freedom- it was then that we realised how profound the problems of the art world are.

Its rigidity does not simply affect access, but it continues to dictate from within the work of artists. The traditional market almost forces artists to keep making the same works that are instantly sellable and recognisable, so it doesn’t actually allow any room for innovation. That’s what we want to be here for.

On the other side of things, throughout our time organising exhibitions we’ve consistently had the audience thank us for creating an art space that is unpretentious and community-focused. We always have our artists present throughout the shows and try to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere. The understanding that these kinds of environments are missing in the art world further informed the development of ‘Projects’ – the community aspect of this and the involvement of the audience is as important as anything else.”

CEO of the International Body of Art, Maria Artool, comments:

“ ‘Projects’ serves as a unique platform in the realm of visual arts. Its distinctiveness is rooted in its unwavering commitment to addressing a crucial issue in the creative industries. With each project tackling crucial issues of underrepresentation in the sector.

What truly sets IBA’s Projects platform apart is its focus on community. It’s not just about funding projects for the sake of it; it’s about becoming part of an extraordinarily diverse, open-minded, international, and innovative community that thinks outside the box and challenges barriers.

While individual projects offer their own set of rewards that align with their artistic goals, the platform as a whole provides a space for art lovers and enthusiasts to actively shape the future of the art world. By selecting which projects should receive funding and be brought to life, backers are invited to play a unique role in defining the future of art. They become an integral part of the artistic process, which is a structure that is the first of its kind in the industry.

In this vision, IBA is nurturing a beautiful and promising community that’s breaking new ground in the world of art.”

Below are a few artists that will have their work debuted on the ‘Projects’ platform:

“IBA provides the opportunity for artists to be true to themselves. Because of this, I’m able to compel my honest story to the whole world, unmediated by the rhetorics of larger institutions who want to control my narrative. This project is a matter of personal and artistic integrity”.

Malik Marble, Project titled “If I Died 2NITE”.

“IBA gives rise to a new paradigm of art making, one that encourages originality and reignites the spark of possibility.”
“Working alongside IBA is an empowering space of being acknowledged and trusted to work outside of the traditional art frameworks”
Tiffany Singh, Project titled “Vermillion Rising”