SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Hypebot) – 2014 should, in part, be remembered as the year that the Renaissance concept of patronage of the arts returned with a digital twist. In an email to users, Patreon revealed that fans gave $10 million to musicians and other content creators in 2014 using its recurring donations platform. In 2013, the year that Patreon launched, donations were just $259,000.
Patreon enables fans to give ongoing support to their favorite creators through recurring donations as small as $1 per month. It's all part of a movement that has seen an explosion in direct fan funding of musicians and other creators enabled by startups like PledgeMusic, Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
"In our eyes (and hearts), this demonstration of support underscores a dramatic, cultural revolution happening in arts communities around the globe," wrote Tyler Palmer, Patreon's VP of Operations. "More creators are able to create freely and fully by connecting directly to the people with the power to support them. We’re honored to help make this happen, and inspired to do more."
Plans For 2015
In the coming year, Patreon says it will be implementing new designs and features for much of the site with a focus on community tools for creators and patrons including notifications, creator analytics and a mobile app.
