Own Art Loans

I'm a little bit obsessed with Culture Label at the moment. They've got some fabulous pieces of design, and they've introduced me to some fantastic indy artists that I might never have heard about otherwise. And unlike a lot of collaborative online shops, they don't hike the prices up to get a commission, so what you pay them is what you'd pay the designers and artists if you bought directly.

But sometimes, it's not always possible for my to afford the pieces I want. I'd love to fill my house with unique artwork. I'm happy to settle for a print version, or a little postcard, but the idea of a unique art collection is something that's always appealed. I'd like to invest in something that I really love. And hopefully it'll grow in value as well as being a loved part of my home.

Own Art Loans might just help me to do that. They offer loans for the sole purpose of buying art from living artists. You can borrow anything from £100 to £2000 and buy anything from jewellery to sculpture or photography. You pay back what you borrow in 10 monthly installments, and the loan is interest free so you only ever pay the price your art was advertised at.

Of course, I'm not suggesting that everyone runs out and gets into debt to adorn their walls with things they can't afford. But I really like this scheme (and I especially like that it's 0% APR). It helps independent artists get recognised and supports initiatives like Culture Label and the Liverpool-based Bluecoat Display Centre. Actually, there's 300 participating venues across England and Scotland. With a similar scheme going on in Wales.

If you're looking for some unique artwork and want to support indy artists, take a look at Own Art and see what you think. I like the idea. Even though I'm not in a position to be spendy at the moment, I'll strongly consider it when I've got my own place with lots of empty walls.