Study for ‘Patrons and Lovers of Art’, Pieter Christoffell Wonder; Source: National Portrait Gallery, London
For people creating content – YouTube music videos, web comics, blogs, photos – on a regular basis, a website set up by a San Francisco musician and a serial entrepreneur is providing a pathway into an ongoing income stream.
Launched in May 2013, Patreon takes a different tack to traditional crowdfunding websites. It’s not about launching a campaign to get funding for one major project. Instead, creators encourage people to become ongoing supporters by either pledging to provide a particular level of funding each time they post new content such as a song or a video, or by making a monthly pledge.