Some people say art criticism is dying, but we know it doesn’t have to.
How do we keep it alive, you ask? With a predictable operating budget for independent publications.
Historically, magazines and newspapers made money in a few ways:
- Advertising
- Sponsored content
- Affiliate marketing
- Paywalled content
- Subscribers
Advertising was a top revenue source, but today, things are very different.
The amount advertising revenue for newspapers fell between 2005 and 2021.
The amount Google, Meta, and Amazon took of all digital ad dollars in 2022.
The most common response we get when proposing advertising packages.
These days, most art organizations and businesses use social media to promote their programming.
We get this feedback a lot.
What people forget is that regular advertising revenue lets us plan for the future and assign more writing.
It’s surprisingly simple:
Our 2024 budget goal
This would pay for:
- $11,600 for writer fees (minimum 4 reviews per month)
- $5,000 for special projects and artist collaborations
AND
- $19,200/year stipend for our Associate Editor ($40/hr for 10/hr per week)
- $19,200/year stipend for our Editor in Chief ($40/hr for 10/hr per week)
- $5,000 for operating expenses
Our current predicted budget for 2024 from Subscribers and Champions.
We have no ads sold for 2024 yet.
It may sound hyperbolic, but we know we can save art criticism together.
Browse our media kit below and check back for monthly updates on stats.
Ready to get started? Email us at partners@variablewest.com
