The purpose of Art Lover VIP is to generate income to cover the costs of:
the ongoing publication of a large body of art, music, literature, photography, and social publications (content).
the creation of new content and publications free of advertising, and made available freely and for all.
A catalogue of these works are available in list form at My Creative Estate:
The quality of work associated with Art Lover VIP is equivalent or higher to art, music, literature, and publications that are released commercially.
Income to pay for this work is reliant on supporters of Art Lover VIP who also enjoy exclusive benefits.
This model ensures separation is maintained between the consumption of content, and income generation that helps sustain its creation and continued availability.
Art Lover VIP is not about making profit, but rather, income.
Profit is the additional revenue that results from selling a product or service that is left after the costs of making products and/or running the services are met. Typically, profit is distributed to the owner and/or shareholders of a company.
Art Lover VIP has many costs associated with it that are detailed at Where Does The Money Go? Income pays for these costs. If surplus income arises it will be invested with the aim of ensuring content and publications associated with Art Lover VIP are made available in perpetuity. Over the medium and long term, it is hoped this will fund a Public Art Foundation.
No surplus has as yet been recorded.
Comparing Personnel Costs
As is common for content providers, around 2% of visitors express their thanks or appreciation in some way, perhaps a 'like' on Facebook, or a positive comment to a family member, friend, or colleague. Of this smaller group, Art Lover VIPs make up around 2%, and a yet smaller percentage of Art Lover VIPs make a financial contribution.
The costs for the creation of compositions, artworks, and publications at Art Lover VIP are considerably lower than in the commercial sector. In addition to the creation of art, music, and literature, there are a number of other activities that are also required, including graphic design, copywriting, development, and administration. As a relatively small percentage of visitors contribute and become Art Lover VIPs, an honorarium of US$10 per hour is allocated to Mike de Sousa so that Art Lover VIP is financially sustainable. By way of comparison, the minimum wage in the US is set at around US$7.25 (March 2023).
Paying people is by far the most expensive part of running any organisation or business. A core operational principle is that Art Lover VIP represents good value for money.
The following are the general equivalent commercial rates per hour of workers with around five years experience. The currency US$ is used as its conversion is more easily calculated throughout the world:
Commercial Visual Artist: US$30.00
Writer: US$25.00
Music Composer: US$25.00
Developer: US$25.00
Copywriter: US$20.00
Graphic and Web Designer: US$15.00
Administrator: US$12.00
As one individual undertakes all these roles at Art Lover VIP for a flat US$10.00 per hour, costs are kept to a minimum.
The Value of Making A Living
Many view value to be understood as the money that is paid for a thing, or in return for the time given to do a job. Indeed many view the status of someone as related to their level of income. Those things humans value most however, for example love, compassion, friendship and kindness, may not be purchased nor have financial value. The value of art is similar in that its importance is not monetary, but how it affects and acts upon the heart and mind.
The artist needs to bring in enough income to live. They must eat, pay for shelter and accommodation that allows them to make, and also for the resources they require. If they have a partner or family, they will have other costs to meet. For each creative occupation the amount required to work will be different, and the personal good fortune enjoyed by each individual will also have a significant impact on their ability and success to make. Financial need and reward is therefore far from straight forward to calculate.
The financial model adopted at Art Lover VIP is the culmination of very many years of thought to maintain the principle that art is as important as the air we breath, and the conviction that it should be made available not only to those with money, but for those with less, so as many people of the world have the opportunity to benefit from art, music, and ideas as is practically possible.
Most of the world's population live below the minimum wage of the US. Although the cost of living may be high and understanding poverty, complex, poverty continues to drive the greatest disparity between humans. Poverty of education, opportunity, entitlement, and enjoyment.
Setting a US$10 honorarium per hour rate for the maintenance, development, delivery, and the creation of new content associated with Art Lover VIP sends a message that there is more to life than seeking an endless stream of money and profit, and this together with the absence of advertising on any site associated with Art Lover VIP helps ensure those with less money are given a context to experience, feel, and think beyond their immediate circumstance.
Art Lover VIP is modest as it is made by an individual, but it provides a way anyone with access to the Internet can be enriched by art, music, literature and more.