ArtistShare

While most music crowdfunding platforms focus on raising money toward the launch of a recording, ArtistShare engages fans in the creative process. In exchange for their financial support, ArtistShare contributors gain unique access to a project’s development – for example, via live-streaming of recording sessions – so they can witness the evolution of a song or album over time. An innovative approach to mutual aid, ArtistShare breaks down traditional barriers between musicians and fans, fostering community while democratizing patronage of the arts.

Funding Creativity in the Digital Age

ArtistShare emerged at a time when the Internet had begun to radically transform the music industry. The advent of digital music formats and file-sharing platforms like Napster made it easy to download songs without paying for them. Soon, the sharp rise in music piracy began to jeopardize musicians’ ability to earn a living through their art.

ArtistShare also arose in response to abuses within the music industry itself. For example, record labels often required musicians to finance their own recordings, at a cost significantly higher than what the company paid for the finished product. At the same time, labels typically claimed a sizable share of the publishing rights, leaving musicians limited avenues to recoup their losses.

Camelio founded ArtistShare to confront these injustices. The company retains 15% of all funding, leaving the bulk of the revenue to the artist. Further, the label grants performers exclusive rights to all their work.

ArtistShare was also the first company to focus on the participatory aspects of music production. “I thought the idea of being able to watch the process, and to align yourself with the artist as a fan would be infinitely interesting,” Camelio told Paul Naser in 2013. “Present it as a story and get people involved.” The company employs several crowdfunding tiers, each offering a range of perks. At the lowest tier, donors receive a  CD or tee-shirt; at higher tiers they get access to live studio sessions. In some cases, a project’s largest donor might receive an executive producer credit, as well as VIP access to concerts and award ceremonies.

Achieving Recognition at the Highest Level

ArtistShare soon proved that its crowdfunding model could elevate artists from obscurity to stardom. The first artist signed to the label, jazz composer and orchestra leader Maria Schneider, won a Grammy Award for her 2004 album “Concert in the Garden.” Between 2003 and 2024, the label’s artists garnered 37 Grammy nominations, winning 15 awards.

While the music industry continues to evolve rapidly in the digital age, ArtistShare has remained true to its founding ethos. By cultivating relationships between musicians and fans, the company promotes an approach to creative expression that is fundamentally social. "It makes the whole thing so personal," Maria Schneider told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. "When you make a record this way, you feel as though you have this whole family who's in your court.”

Contributor: Stephen Meyer