Why Art That Gives Back Matters Now
Art that gives back turns a purchase you would make anyway into support for people who need it most. When you buy an original painting, sculpture or mixed-media piece through Art Delivers, you take home a work you love and help fund projects for communities hit by disaster.
The need is real. Natural disasters caused about $224 billion in losses worldwide in 2025, and insurers covered only about $108 billion of it, according to reinsurer Munich Re. When Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica in 2025, it caused about $9.8 billion in losses, and only about $3 billion of that was insured. The rest falls on families, small businesses and local communities.
At the same time, people keep buying art. Global art sales reached an estimated $59.6 billion in 2025, according to the Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2026. Art Delivers was built on a simple idea: connect those two worlds, and part of the art economy can flow to the people who need it.
This guide explains how buying art can fund disaster relief, why art works so well as a way to give, and how to choose a piece that makes a real difference.
How Buying Art Can Fund Disaster Relief
Art Delivers describes itself as the first global platform bringing artists, collectors and investors together to fund projects that help those in need. Instead of asking people to give with nothing in return, it pairs every act of support with something lasting: an original work of art.
Art Delivers is a division of Exclusively European, Inc., a Georgia company founded in 1982 by entrepreneur Eric Alexander de Groot. He works with artists around the world and sums up the mission in one line: “Art is the Soul of our Humanity.”
Here is how the model works:
- Artists share their work. Painters, sculptors and mixed-media artists place original pieces in the Art Delivers Collection.
- Collectors buy or sponsor a piece. You choose a work for your home or office, or sponsor a piece for a campaign.
- Sales fund operations and relief expeditions. Proceeds support Art Delivers’ expeditions, which include providing services and goods to the areas it focuses on.
- Help reaches affected communities. Support goes to places recovering from hurricanes and other disasters, while the artist gains a new collector.
The result is a cycle that benefits everyone involved. Artists are promoted and sustained, collectors own work they love, and communities in need receive practical help.
Why Art Is a Powerful Way to Give
Buying art for charity works because it gives something back to the buyer as well as the cause. Here are five reasons it has staying power.
1. You keep something of lasting value
A one-time donation ends at checkout. An original painting stays on your wall for decades and reminds you, every day, of the people your purchase helped.
2. One purchase supports two causes
When you buy art that gives back, you support the artist who made it and the community the proceeds help. Artists gain income and recognition, which keeps them creating.
3. The art market is already large
Collectors spent an estimated $59.6 billion on art in 2025, and the United States accounted for 44% of global sales by value, according to Art Basel and UBS. Directing even a small part of that spending toward relief can make a meaningful difference.
4. Art starts conversations
Guests notice an original piece and ask about it. Each time you share its story, you spread awareness of the communities it supports.
5. Art can heal where it hangs
Art Delivers runs the Thank You #DN&MS campaign, which honors doctors, nurses and medical staff. It places five colorful contemporary works by Mike and Madeleine Buelow of Berlin in local hospitals, wellness centers and rehabilitation facilities, where they brighten the day for staff and patients.
Where Your Support Goes
Art Delivers focuses its relief expeditions on the United States, North America and the Caribbean. Its Donate page names three current focus areas, each shaped by a major hurricane.
| Focus area | Disaster that shaped it |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico, U.S. territory | Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017 |
| Florida, including the Florida Keys | Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 landfall on the Panhandle in October 2018 |
| Georgia | Hurricane Michael, the first major hurricane to directly impact Georgia since the 1890s |
Recovery from storms like these does not end when the news cameras leave. Clean-up and rebuilding can go on for weeks, months and sometimes a decade. That is why long-term, steady support matters as much as emergency aid.
The threat is also growing. In 2025, weather-related events caused 92% of all natural disaster losses worldwide, according to Munich Re. Hurricanes, floods, wildfires and severe storms are now the main drivers of damage, which is why Art Delivers also champions causes like climate and Planet Earth.
How to Buy Art That Gives Back: 6 Simple Steps
Buying art for a cause is as easy as buying any other artwork. Follow these steps to make sure your purchase does the most good.
- Start with the collection. Browse the Art Delivers Collection and meet the artists, including Claudia Leyerer, Javier Ruiz Lopez, Flavio Bisciotti, Mark Dolamore, Vincent Rengenhart, and Mike and Madeleine Buelow.
- Choose a piece that fits your space. Measure your wall, think about the light in the room and decide whether you want the work framed.
- Ask how your purchase is used. Art Delivers invites buyers to contact the team about how art sales fund its operations and expeditions.
- Consider sponsoring a campaign piece. In the Thank You #DN&MS campaign, individual sponsorships start at $499 to $999 per person, depending on the frame size and artwork. A group of ten sponsors can choose where the framed piece is placed.
- Give art as a gift. An Art Delivers gift certificate in $25, $50, $100 or $250 lets someone else choose the work they love.
- Share the story. Tell friends and followers why you chose the piece and who it helps. Awareness brings in the next supporter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “art that gives back” mean?
Art that gives back is artwork sold so that part of its value supports a cause. With Art Delivers, art sales help fund relief for communities affected by hurricanes and other disasters.
How does Art Delivers use the money from art sales?
Art sales fund Art Delivers’ operations and its relief expeditions, which include providing services and goods to the areas it focuses on. For details on a specific purchase, contact the team.
Is buying art from Art Delivers tax-deductible?
Art Delivers is a division of Exclusively European, Inc., a Georgia business corporation, so a purchase is not the same as a gift to a registered charity. Ask the team and a tax adviser before assuming any deduction.
Can I support Art Delivers without buying art?
Yes. You can give any amount through the Donate page, sponsor a piece in a campaign or buy a gift certificate for someone else.
Where is Art Delivers based?
Art Delivers is based in Atlanta, Georgia, at 227 Sandy Springs Place NE, Suite 720400. You can call the office at +1 404 250 1709.
Change the World, One Painting at a Time
Art that gives back lets you do two good things at once: bring home original work you will treasure, and help communities rebuild after disaster. Every purchase supports a working artist and helps fund relief where insurance and government aid fall short.
Ready to make your next art purchase count? Explore the Art Delivers Collection, visit the Shop or get in touch to ask about a specific piece.