ABOUT
From 3 – 17 April we are organising a special fundraiser edition in collaboration with Nan Goldin. The edition includes three prints, each accompanied by a label signed by Nan Goldin. By buying a print you support Sulala Animal Rescue, the first and only animal rescue in the Gaza Strip and an organisation Nan Goldin is deeply connected to.
About Sulala Animal Rescue
Sulala Animal Rescue is the first and only animal rescue in the Gaza Strip. It was founded in 2006 by Mr. Saeed Al-Err, a man with great love for animals. For decades he used to roam the streets of Gaza feeding the stray animals, and before the war, he ran a large dog shelter and several cat shelters.
Since October 7th, he and his family have continued rescuing animals through missions and veterinary clinics, all while struggling to survive themselves. They are continuously working on education efforts and operate a school, providing care for traumatized children, during the height of displacement.
PICTURES FOR PURPOSE
Pictures for Purpose is a foundation that strives to support urgent causes through the medium of photography. We collaborate with international artists and organizations, culminating in a series of print sale fundraisers and exhibitions.
Pictures for Purpose was first established in 2020. Inspired by artist-led initiatives in Italy (100 Fotografi Per Bergamo, 2020) and the USA (Pictures for Elmhurst, 2020), we decided to organize a print sale fundraiser of our own – with a unique format.
With previous editions artists who donated a print could opt to receive a percentage of the proceeds from their sales. With this structure, we aspire to avoid relying solely on the generosity of the artists.
For this edition, developed in collaboration with Nan Goldin, all proceeds will be donated to Sulala Animal Rescue.
Following deductions for taxes (21%), production costs (10%), and platform & transaction fees (4%), 65% of the remaining amount will go directly to the organization.
MISSION
Pictures for Purpose is a creative-led initiative. Offering a curated selection of photography to a large audience, we hope our efforts can play a role in supporting various groups in our community, as well as spotlighting a variety of important issues.
Our aim is to raise proceeds for – and awareness of – urgent causes through the medium of photography; participating artists often donate works that creatively address key social questions. Having started life as a print sale fundraiser, we aspire to create new opportunities for artists to share their valuable stories – be it through developing exhibitions, commissioning new work or collaborating with partner organizations.
Isabella van Marle, Kunna Haan, Raisa Kingma & Tijn Benedek
PREVIOUS EDITIONS
The first edition of Pictures for Purpose (11 May – 25 May 2020) responded to the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, collaborating with 36 artists based in the Netherlands. The proceeds from each print sold were shared between the Dutch Food Bank and, at their discretion, the participating artists – who themselves had been deprived of valuable streams of income. With this structure, we sought to avoid relying solely on the generosity of the artists, whilst also offering support to those in acute need in the Netherlands. We could never have expected to raise over €200.000 in just two short weeks.
The second Pictures for Purpose print sale fundraiser (7 June – 21 June 2021) sought to generate valuable channels of support for a pressing global cause: the climate crisis. Since the advent of the pandemic, our societies have been forced to enact drastic change to cope with COVID-19. Many of us wonder when the climate crisis will be treated with the same urgency. In collaboration with Justdiggit and the United Nations Environment Programme, Pictures for Purpose hoped to spotlight the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. For this edition, works by 36 international artists were featured. The proceeds from this fundraiser were shared between Justdiggit, an organization combating climate change with grassroots organizations in East Africa, and a few of the participating artists themselves, to account for lost revenue during the coronavirus pandemic. Our efforts across this edition generated €85.000 in sales.
Our third print sale fundraiser (10 – 24 March, 2022) was organised to support those affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Funds were raised to support World Central Kitchen, a non-profit devoted to providing fresh meals in the wake of humanitarian, climate, and community crises. 45 international artists, including several Ukrainian names, donated a print towards our cause. Pictures for Purpose for Ukraine generated a staggering €252.350 in sales over a two-week period.
The fourth edition of Pictures for Purpose (16 – 30 March 2023) was organised in support of those affected by the devastating February earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The fundraiser secured financial assitance for Ahbap, one of the most active grassroots voluntary aid networks in Turkey. and The White Helmets, a humanitarian volunteer organisation operating in Syria. 39 international artists donated a print towards the initiative; as in previous years, a number of the featured artists had a prior affinity with the affected regions. For the first time, this edition of Pictures for Purpose offered larger works in a limited edition of 30, with all proceeds split between the partner organisations. By the time the fundraiser concluded, we’d registered a grand total of €80.392,00 in sales.
Our fifth fundraiser (26 November – 10 December 2024) was spotlighting the plight of children suffering from the ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon. Together with 39 participating artists we were hoping to contribute to a brighter, more stable future for children in the affected areas. The proceeds were shared between two established Palestinian and Lebanese charities and raised for the organisations’ child-specific programmes. Taawon’s NOOR programme supports children orphaned by genocide in Gaza who have experienced unimaginable violence, destruction and loss. Beit el Baraka’s Forsa programme aims to offer a brighter future to children in Lebanon by ensuring they have access to consistent education throughout this period of instability, upheaval and conflict. In two weeks time we generated a phenomenal total of €118.456,- in sales.