Art auctions

From Art Law Journal:

Paddle8 is a virtual auction house, backed by the owners and technology investors behind Uber, Pinterest and Vimeo. The company is focused on fine art, holding two types of auctions: benefit auctions, which are held through collaborations with non-profits and major museums, and biweekly themed auctions. 

In the first half of 2014, total sales reached $17.8 million, a 400 percent increase over the same period in 2013. The company has received $17 million from Investors. Not nearly as large as the major auction houses, founder Alexander Gilkes isn’t worried, claiming that his company’s “focus is on the whole middle market, . . . the $100,000 range.” although he did qualify the statement saying, “we had a Jeff Koons egg that started at $500 and went to $900,000.” 

With Paddle8’s success, the major auction houses are ramping up their online business. In 2014, Sotheby’s inked a deal with eBay to stream its auctions online and Christie’s, the world’s largest auction house, putting additional marketing efforts into its $50 million media platform. In the first six months of 2014, 27 percent of Christie’s online buyers were new to the auction house.

Opportunities for Artists

Nominate now for the 2015 Baker Artist Awards. In its seventh year, the Baker Artist Awards were established in 2008 to support Baltimore area artists and to promote their work to regional, national and international audiences. Up to three Mary Sawyers Baker prizes of up to $25,000 each are awarded annually to celebrate a dedication to art, mastery of craft, and a commitment to excellence. Nominations close January 15, 2105.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation  through its Creative Fellowships program annually supports residencies for writers, composers, and visual artists at the Millay Colony for the Arts and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts  (VCCA). Starting in 2015, the Foundation will support residencies at VCCA for artists currently residing in New York in addition to Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia. The application deadlines for VCCA are January 15, May 15, and September 15, 2015. 

The Grit Fund, administered by The Contemporary, supports unincorporated and collaborative artist-organized activity that contributes to Baltimore's arts landscape but seldom qualifies for traditional funding. The Contemporary will lead four free information sessions providing details on the application process, guidelines, eligibility, funding priorities, and more. More information is here.