The Present Group is a quarterly art subscription project. We create limited editions from emerging contemporary artists on behalf of our subscribers.Each work is accompanied by information to help them gain insight into the piece, its creator, and recurring themes in the contemporary art world.
The Present Group is like a mutual fund that produces art instead of profits. As a private grant-giving organization, it enables a community of subscribers to support contemporary artists and receive original artwork in return.
We aim to create a new avenue of support for contemporary artists, create consistently thought-provoking work in a variety of media, celebrate and promote emerging artists, and provide a free online resource for anyone interested in current art. We seek to engage art enthusiasts who never thought of themselves as art collectors and to introduce them to the experience and pleasures of owning and caring for contemporary art. We believe in the subscription model as a sustainable way to support artists directly, but also to increase awareness about contemporary art and expand the base of collectors, supporting artists down the line.
We’re focused on breaking down the barriers that prevent people from entering the art market. We address the physical intimidation of the gallery and museum setting by sending work directly to our subscribers’ homes. We try to counter the intellectual intimidation that turns many people off through education: our artist interviews, critical essays, and information on proper framing, storage, and handling of works. We keep our subscription price so low ($150/year) to allow a broader public the opportunity to become collectors. And we also try to build a level of comfort within the art world by creating community though our website.
In addition to creating a new source of finanical support for artists projects, TPG creates a shelter for artists to pursue or explore a new trajectory of their work. We allow project-based artists the opportunity to engage directly with a very specific public, and allow commercial artists (who usually create discrete, salable works) the opportunity to try out larger, more open-ended projects or multiples.