How I landed sponsors for my art installation — What I tried and what worked
Me and my wonderful sponsors for Art of Reclaiming Focus installation at Cult Vision
I had a bold idea: create a bright art installation exploring focus and intention in collaboration with the eyewear boutique Cult Vision, who regularly collaborates with contemporary artists. But there was one catch —
The catch: I needed funding and I wanted to do it right! I wanted to paint without compromising the quality nor concept, pay a photographer fairly, and treat this not as a personal indulgence but a fully-fledged creative business venture.
So I approached sponsorship like I would a branding brief (this is my background): with clarity, purpose, and alignment. And while I tried cold outreach and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, what actually worked was something else. Read on to find out.
All photos by Elaine Potter
The Project that came from a “No”
Interestingly, this wasn’t the original plan. I had pitched another concept to Cult Vision last year — something I was really excited about — but the timing wasn’t right.
That could have been the end of it.
But being told no isn’t always a dead end — sometimes it’s just a redirection. Several months later, they came back to me to launch an installation for Clerkenwell Design Week and run for 6 months. The Art of Reclaiming Focus Collection was born from that pivot.
The Pitch
Once the project concept was clear—
“An abstract painting collection that invites the audience to reclaim focus through an interplay of colours and form”
I set out to find a small number of like-minded partners to sponsor the exhibition.
Rather than framing it as a favour, I positioned it as a mutually beneficial opportunity:
Brand exposure during Clerkenwell Design Week (30,000+ visitors)
Logo placement on the Cult Vision shopfront for six months beyond Clerkenwell Design Week
Cross-promotion via my website, social media and newsletters
I backed the pitch with a visual mock-up (a vision), and the photographs of my previous collaborations (track record). In short, it was the same clarity and structure I’d apply to any corporate brand project.
Cold emails & Linkedin sales navigator
I thought I’d be “professional” and reach out to people whose business has the same ethos to the project concept. Art suppliers and an art insurance firm were obvious choices but I’ve been told that they get too many similar requests from too many artists. Great minds think alike, I guess…!
Next, I used LinkedIn Sales Navigator and targeted companies whose ethos are aligned to my collection concept around ‘focus’ and ‘intention’: They were wellness and mindfulness apps, CBD drink companies, and a personal growth educational body. I tailored my pitch to each but sadly not many replied, let alone led to sponsorship. Although I’m happy to report that I made a couple of lovely connections. So I count this as a semi-win.
What Actually Worked: Warm Connections, Shared Values
In the end, the sponsors who came on board weren’t strangers from a spreadsheet. They were people I already knew — connections built over time, through shared conversations, creative overlaps, and a mutual belief in meaningful work. We hadn’t met with this project in mind, but when the opportunity came up, there was already trust. I just needed the courage to ask.
Here are the four brilliant sponsors who said yes.
Each one has a unique story — how we met, why we clicked, and why this collaboration made perfect sense.
Dr Tara Swart
How we met: Past collaborator on ITV Creates & London Art Fair.
Why we clicked: Neuroscientist Dr Tara and I met during our ITV collaboration. We both believe in the power of combining art and science, particularly for wellbeing. We later shared a stage at the London Art Fair panel discussion “Art as Medicine”.
About Dr Tara Swart
Combining science and spirituality, Tara Swart Inc shares practical tips to reset the nervous system, improve mental health, and support spiritual growth. Her bestseller The Source is translated into 37 languages, and you can pre-order her new book The Signs now.
www.taraswart.com
@drtaraswart
Aros Architects
How we met: Met at a business event.
Why we clicked: I met Aros director Mark Limbrick several times at design agency events. As an architect, Mark shares an appreciation for creative values.
About Aros Architects
Aros (Gaelic): a house, dwelling, abode. Aros produces architecture that works — for clients, users, the environment, and the community. They value responsive design without a pre-determined style, aiming for architecture of real value.
arosarchitects.com
Victor Perton ‘That Optimism Man’
How we met: Connected via LinkedIn over a shared belief in optimism.
Why we clicked: Victor is the world’s most energetic optimism advocate, based in Australia. I’m an artist on a mission to spread optimism in the UK. It was inevitable that optimism drew us together. As founder of The Centre for Optimism, he inspires people globally to choose hope—a mission I deeply admire and share.
About Victor Perton
Described by The Australian Financial Review as “our optimist-in-chief” and an “optimism guru,” Victor Perton lives and breathes infectious, magnetic optimism. Prior to taking on the optimism mission, Victor was a barrister, 18 years a member of the Victorian State Parliament, Trade Commissioner in North and South America; and senior adviser to the Australian G20 Presidency.
As a speaker, Victor promises his audience they will leave laughing or singing or both.
www.centreforoptimism.com
Tim Hughes aka The Brief Doctor
How we met: Introduced by another artist
Why we clicked: I was introduced to business coach Tim Hughes by another artist and I’ve introduced him to other creatives too. A session with Tim is always fun and actionable. We share bold creative energy — and Tim pushes me to play big and make things, like this very installation, happen.
About Tim Hughes The Brief Doctor
Tim Hughes has a unique take on coaching.He combines traditional coaching with mentoring to help you grow as a person, while helping you to work through specific business challenges in a motivating and fun way.Always hungry for a bit of drama, he calls it ‘Creative Counselling’.
He specialises in helping creative people, particularly freelancers and agency owners, to realise their potential. Find out more about Creative Counselling & Coaching.
Tim Hughes is also Brief Doctor who works his magic to make your brief better as well as providing workshops and talks with more than a few laughs.
Treasure every encounter
None of these sponsors came from pitching. They came from relationships, from nurturing connections over time.
One of my favourite Japanese sayings is:
一期一会 (Ichigo ichie)
Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur.
Even a brief meeting at a networking event can become the seed of a wonderful collaboration, sometimes years later. You never know.
My art installation at Cult Vision supported by wonderful sponsors.
Takeaways for Creatives, Small business & feelancers
Whether you're organising an exhibition, building a new service, or launching a brand:
Make it easy for them
Use stats and visuals. People are more likely to say yes when they see the value and feel the resonance with your vision.
No algorithm beats a real relationship
Treasure authentic human connection. It’s harder to ignore or ghost someone right in front of you.
No doesn’t mean never
Rejection can lead to redirection. Stay adaptable and keep relationships warm.
Final Thoughts
I’m grateful to all the sponsors who supported The Art of Reclaiming Focus Collection. They didn’t just fund a project—they believed in the project vision and my mission to spread optimism through bold colours and forms while everyone got paid fairly.
If you’re dreaming up your next big idea, remember: all you need is a clear pitch, genuine passion, and the courage to ask.
And when someone says no, it might just be the beginning of something better.
一期一会. Treasure every encounter.
Can we collaborate?
I’m June aka MAMIMU, an artist / educator on a mission to spread optimism. If you share the same vision and want to make the world a better place through public art, product collaboration, workshops, or anything else, let's talk.
Together, we can amplify our impact and create a brighter future for all.
