China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Charity event online rakes in donations
Works by people with disabilities generate a total of 15 million yuan
A charitable art sale raged on WeChat on Tuesday, collecting 6.6 million yuan ($1 million) in four hours.
Many WeChat users shared their newly bought paintings on their personal pages. Some even changed their phone’s wallpaper.
The works were painted by autistic people and sold via Tencent’s charitable platform. Money collected will be donated to a project called “Enlighten life with art”, which aims to eliminate social prejudice and help people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.
Altogether, 36 works of art were available from artists 11 to 37 years old, and buyers could save a digital copy.
The project began on Aug 17 but discussion heated up in earnest on Tuesday on WeChat, a major social media platform. WeChat is owned by Tencent.
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.
The works will also be exhibited at the Jingdonglu Subway Station in Shanghai on Friday, according to Tencent.
According to a statement released by Tencent, the project was initiated by World of Art Brut Culture — a Shanghai-based private nonprofit charity — on Tencent’s charity platform. Money raised will be accepted by Aiyou Future Foundation, a Shenzhen-based organization with public offering credentials.
Money will 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.
Peng Peng’s phone wallpaper has been changed to a new picture — two people on a beach at sunset.
“I saw what a friend had shared on WeChat,” the 30-year-old said. “The drawing was pretty and I clicked it to see more.” She bought the painting for 2 yuan.
“The artist, Xiaolong, is 28 — about my age — and has cerebral palsy. When I saw the painting, the orange and blue color pleased me,” she said.
Peng said it is convenient to participate in charity giving online. Her last donation went to a project aimed at helping children from rural areas go to school.