About SAF
Art that funds. A campaign that proves trust-based finance works for artists.
The problem we solve
Korean artists live on irregular, project-based income. Between exhibitions and commissions, there are “income gaps” — months where rent, food, and material costs keep running but revenue stops.
Banks see “no steady paycheck” and close the door. 84.9% of artists are excluded from mainstream banking. 48.6% are pushed into predatory lending at 15%+ annual interest.
This is not a personal failure. It is a structural crisis — and SAF exists to break it.
SAF by the numbers
127
Solidarity artists
354
Loans funded
~₩700M
Total deployed
95%
Repayment rate
How SAF works
Artists unite
127 artists voluntarily contribute works to the exhibition — not as victims, but as allies standing with peers.
Art is sold
Works are sold through the SAF online gallery. Every purchase directly funds the mutual-aid reserve.
Fund grows
Sales revenue joins cooperative membership fees and solidarity contributions to build a shared reserve.
Loans reach artists
Partner banks lend up to 7× the fund amount at a fixed 5% APR to artists excluded from mainstream finance.
Why it matters
Protecting creative time
Low-interest loans bridge income gaps so artists can keep creating instead of taking survival jobs.
Restoring dignity
Artists are evaluated on their work and potential — not rejected for lacking a monthly paycheck.
Sustaining the ecosystem
Repayments flow back into the fund. Each cycle supports more artists, growing a self-sustaining safety net.
Go deeper
Our Reality
The data behind 84.9% banking exclusion — six charts showing why the system fails artists.
Our Proof
354 loans, 95% repayment, 0% default rate. The numbers that prove mutual-aid lending works.
Transparency Reports
Annual reports published openly since December 2022. Full operational transparency.
Press
Media coverage spotlighting the issue of artist financial discrimination in Korea.
Join the movement
Every artwork purchase builds the mutual-aid fund. Every co-op membership strengthens the safety net. Your support directly reaches artists who need it most.