Art Without Permission
How independent artists are creating new models of support.
Both Lola Salem and I have written recently about the state of the arts. While our approaches differ, we share a common concern: serious artists are struggling to sustain meaningful work.
In her piece, Yes, Beauty Matters. Now What?, Lola makes a crucial point: recognizing the value of beauty is only the beginning. If we want to move beyond slogans and debates, we need to ask what it takes to create the conditions where artistic excellence can thrive.
In my own piece, The Architecture of Cultural Renewal, I argued that building those conditions requires more than just critique. It demands creating new networks of support, along with patrons, artists, and institutions that actively uphold craft, beauty, and tradition.
Some artists are already showing what this looks like in practice.
On April 8th, I have arranged, through my work at the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, a panel discussion on The New Art Patronage. Lola has graciously agreed to lead this conversation with three artists who are forging their own paths and developing new ways to sustain serious artistic work:
Clifton Duncan, a classically trained actor who turned to independent funding to develop his one-man play on Thomas Sowell
Samuel Andreyev, a composer creating new ways to fund and share his music outside traditional institutions
Fen de Villiers, a sculptor blending classical techniques with bold, powerful forms through private commissions
These artists offer a glimpse of what a better path could look like—one where artistic independence and excellence are sustained by those who value them most.
If we are serious about renewing our cultural landscape, we need builders: people willing to create new pathways for artists to flourish. This conversation is an opportunity to hear directly from some of those leading that effort.
I hope you’ll join us.