The New Patrons Initiative

New Patrons*

«The artwork has a role in bringing together people from different backgrounds. It’s one thing to say that theoretically on paper, but it’s even better when you experience it in real life. Commissioning a work of art isn’t something you do every day; it’s a responsibility. I believe the New Patrons exist for this purpose — to tell artists that art should also be for ordinary people.». Bruno Lestienne, member of a New Patrons group

Patrons are citizens — residents of cities, suburbs, or rural areas, of all ages, origins and professions: locals, butchers, teachers, pupils or students, pigeon fanciers, doctors, barge operators, florists, teenagers, journalists, unemployed people, workers or farmers. Thousands of people in France, across Europe and worldwide have been actively involved in the creation of nearly 500 commissions. The diversity of patrons reflects a wide range of concerns and aspirations.

United by a shared topic, the commissioning group may already be established or continue to evolve during the course of the project. No artistic knowledge is required, nor is any financial contribution expected. However, being a patron is a responsibility: they are the ones who identify the issue their commission addresses and who express their needs and wishes in a project brief. They act as a point of contact for the artist and are involved in every phase of the project’s development.

Once the artwork is completed, the patrons take part in promoting and activating it.

The commissioners’ commitment is key to the project’s success, and they play a vital role in embedding the work in its local community.

* New Patrons are those commissioning but not usually sponsoring the artwork.

Mediators

«The New Patrons initiative is a powerful idea that fully aligns with the notion of community engagement today: it requires a willingness to engage with others and foster exchange. Together with the patrons and the artists, we invent spaces for freedom, thought and creation.» Marie-Anne Chambost, mediator

The mission of the mediator is to support the collaboration between the patrons, the artists and the partners, ensuring mutual understanding and to guide the commissioning process. With backgrounds in the fields of art, culture or the social sciences, the mediators possess in-depth knowledge of practices in contemporary art as well as an awareness of societal and local challenges. Their expertise lies in understanding the needs and expectations of the commissioning group and in supporting the artists in project delivery.

Often contacted directly by potential patrons, the mediators help to clarify the objectives and challenges, assess the feasibility of the project and define the scope of the artistic intervention. They propose artists whose work and approach are most relevant to meeting the needs set out in the brief.

The mediators facilitate meetings and discussions between patrons and artists and ensure that everyone is able to express their ideas and expectations. They assist with securing funding, relationships with partners and institutions, as well as the production and promotion of the work.

Artists/Creators

«Our experience is more than conclusive; it reveals a new and essential role for art, one that fosters cultural democracy and enables us, as artists, to be active stakeholders. The continuation, development and expansion of the New Patrons programme across regional, national and European territories will ensure that artistic creation occupies a fundamental place—not merely to survive but to truly exist.» Artists in Le Monde opinion column dated 9 May 2021.

The New Patrons initiative is based on the meeting and collaboration between a group of commissioners and an artist (who may work alone, as a duo or within a collective). The artist’s task is to understand and interpret the needs expressed by the commissioning group in order to create a work that is meaningful and aligned with their expectations.

The artist is identified and selected according to the nature and context of the commission. All disciplines may be involved, including visual arts, architecture, design, music, theatre, literature, performance, dance, comics, film and sciences.

In the initial phase, the artist undertakes an artistic study based on the brief, engaging in continuous dialogue with the commissioning group. Once this study is approved, a production budget is established and the production phase can begin.

The resulting work can take various forms: an art installation, sculpture, park, building, musical composition, theatrical performance, film, book, protocol, and so on. Depending on the context, the work may be permanent or temporary.

Partners

« By embracing shared responsibility, all the parties agree to address, through negotiation, the tensions and conflicts that naturally arise in democratic public life. » François Hers

The collective commitment of individuals determined to come together as a society by giving shared meaning to contemporary creation involves a wide range of partners, including national funding bodies, local authorities, institutions, foundations, sponsors and more. Their support is essential to the success and long-term sustainability of a commission.

Each commission involves multiple partners, such as local elected officials, administrative leaders and businesses. This network not only provides resources but often essential expertise, which strengthens local engagement and ensures the feasibility of the commission. Partners are involved at the earliest possible stage in the development of the initiative.

The completed work, funded through public or private grants and patronage, becomes the property of a public body. Its value is no longer defined by the market, but by the way it is used by the community and the symbolic significance it holds for them. Physical ownership of the work—created to contribute to our shared cultural heritage—may be transferred to an authorised organisation which takes responsibility for its care and conservation, under the terms of a maintenance agreement drawn up between the artist and the owner.