Patronage
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August 26, 2021
Today is a big day. We’re very excited to share some news with our members, clients, and extended community. As many of you know, in the event of a year-end surplus, Stocksy’s Board may allocate a portion of our profits in the form of patronage returns to our eligible members. Today we proudly announce that we will be paying out the largest patronage allocation in Stocksy history—
$568,000 USD
We’re thrilled to see that sum go back to our co-op members and couldn’t be more honored to share in this moment.
This achievement really belongs to our members. They are the creators that lead with the integrity and commitment that has made the Stocksy collection the success that it is. Through a challenging time of change and uncertainty, Stocksy’s global network of Photographers, Filmmakers, and Illustrators put in the work to keep building our collection with thoughtful, innovative, and progressive content that the world needed. Our members are the people who fearlessly drive culture forward and we are elated to see them rewarded for it. Their commitment to our content policy and countless hours of hard work are what have made this possible.
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This is also a moment we’d like to share with our clients. They invest in creativity and choose to be bold in their commitment to supporting positive change through the visual stories they tell. Their voices can influence the greater media landscape and, with our artists, help evolve its progress toward becoming a more equitable, inclusive, and accurately representational space. We recognize how powerful this can be in supporting the creative class to continue doing meaningful work and we intend to keep doing the same.
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Finally, this year’s successful patronage payout is a confirmation that the co-op business model is not only possible but is also both profitable and sustainable. There is a better way to do business — a way where artists are valued for their integrity and perspectives and where that value is reflected in agency, governance, and fair pay. As a participant in the inception of the platform co-op model, we started with a dream of changing industry standards; and today, thanks to our exceptional community, we have seen this become more of a reality with the promise of future prosperity.
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From the bottom of our hearts, we thank everyone who has made this year’s patronage allocation possible. We’re here because of you and we encourage you all to take a moment and celebrate this win.
Mike Cook, CEO