Art for Charity Collective with Lucy Kent

This year has been full of many un imaginable and unprecedented challenges personally and professionally for an awful lot of people. But equally, out of this crisis, we’ve seen a number of fantastic community initiatives emerge – people have rolled up their sleeves and rallied around those who need our support most. It’s been heart-warming to see, and provided us with rays of hope in dark times.

At Vigour and Skills, we want to use our platform to amplify the voices of those who are doing good for the benefit of others. Wiltshire-based artist Lucy Kent is one such voice: her most recent project, Art for Charity Collective is a philanthropic collaboration between her and over 50 other eminent artists. Together, they’re on a mission to raise money and awareness for charities through virtual art auctions hosted on Instagram – it’s an incredibly worthwhile initiative, so we wanted to feature Lucy’s work in this weeks’ journal.

The Collective’s first auction back in September raised an incredible £20,000 for the Khadija Saye Into Arts Foundation, and Lucy isn’t stopping there. The group’s next auction will take place, on Instagram, from Monday 23rd November to Friday 27th November, and will feature a diverse range of works by both emerging and established artists from the Collective’s ranks (including internationally acclaimed artist Tom Hammick, as well as BP Portrait Award winner Susanne du Toit). The work of Richard Whadcock, photographer Claudia Legge, Jemma Powell, Venetia Barry, Haidee Jo Summers and American figurative painter Josh Clare (and many others) will also feature.

Most importantly, 35% of all proceeds for this next auction will go towards supporting research into Infant Leukaemia for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). In memory of Enzo Saunt, a young two-year-old who tragically lost his life earlier this year, the Collective also aims to raise awareness about the devastating effects of this terrible disease.

Throughout Lockdown, despite the closure of non-essential shops, galleries and workshops, the global community of artists, makers and artisans has grown even larger online. It’s been a period of productivity and inspiration for many, with wonderful ideas coming out of this period of isolation, and Lucy’s Art for Charity Collective platform will continue working to support the artistic community for as long as is required. I urge you to check out the Collective’s next auction, starting at 9.30am on Monday 23rd November, at @artforcharitycollective.

Beatrice.

“Violet Ford” by Lucy Smallbone, 35 x 45 cm, Oil on board, 2020