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Online disability art sale success prompts controversy

2017/8/31 11:34:26   source:China Plus

The organizers of an online sale of art by people with learning difficulties have moved to clarify doubts, after the charity raised millions of yuan in just a few hours, reports thepaper.cn.

Some netizens raised questions over whether the paintings had actually been made by people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and Down's syndrome. Others wanted to know what the charity was going to do with such a large amount of money.

The art sale was initiated by Shanghai-based private nonprofit charity 'World of Art Brut Culture' (W&) on the charity platform of the Chinese internet giant Tencent. A total of 36 paintings by 25 people with learning difficulties aged 11 to 37 were put on sale.

The project began on Aug 17 but discussion heated up in earnest on Tuesday on the social media platform WeChat.

Donations since the project began totaled more than 15 million yuan. About 5.8 million people participated.

By noon on Tuesday, 2 million people had participated and donated 8.4 million yuan. But the donation page was closed at 4 pm after the target of 15 million yuan was reached.

Many WeChat users praised the artworks, saying they were touched by the sincerity shown in the paintings and were moved by the pretty colors. Others wondered whether the pictures had been painted by autistic people at all.

Miao Shiming, founder of W&, explained that although people with learning difficulties perhaps lacked language skills, they were usually able to express themselves well in some other ways.

Miao said all the painters of the art works on sale were students of W& studios, which offer free art lessons to people with learning difficulties, trying to help them integrate into society through art.

Some other netizens wondered what would happen to the money collected.

According to a statement released by Tencent, money raised will be accepted by Aiyou Future Foundation, a Shenzhen-based organization with public offering credentials. It said that money would not be funneled through Tencent's charity platform but will be accepted directly by the foundation. Donors can track their donations on WeChat, the statement said.

W& founder Miao Shiming revealed that Aiyou will transfer the money to W& by stages for its projects, adding that the foundation will also monitor the use of the money.

W& has established art studios in ten cities around China since it was founded eight years ago. Miao said they want to set up 150 studios in 30 cities by 2018, and all the money collected during the art sale will be used to support the projects.

"Currently we can teach painting to about 1,000 people every day. By 2018, we are expecting to help 5,000 to 8,000 people," said Miao.

Miao said the money will mainly be used to pay salaries for teachers or allowances for volunteers, buy painting materials, offer training to volunteers and therapists, as well as pay rent for studios. The costs in each city per year are between 0.5 and 1 million yuan, he said.

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