Notes on Patronage
New wave of patrons coming online—here’s how to get funded for important work.
In a recent LessWrong essay, Jenn argues that a new wave of patrons is about to come online, making this an unusually good time for people doing important work to adopt patronesque frameworks. She draws on historical parallels—Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Bernini—who spent much of their time on patron-commissioned work rather than their own passions, to calibrate expectations. Jenn notes that even top talents compromised, so today’s workers should not feel overly entitled to full creative freedom without justification.
Jenn contrasts institutional grants like the EA Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), which require biannual impact reports, with private patronage models used by Scott Alexander (unsolicited gifts from rich patrons) and Zvi (anonymous full-time support). She argues that private patrons with good taste are more likely to fund high-impact work without bureaucratic overhead. The key takeaway: as new patrons emerge, professionals should actively cultivate direct relationships rather than relying solely on corporate funding bodies.
- New patrons are coming online, creating unusual opportunities for funding important work
- Historical creatives like Rembrandt spent most of their time on patron-commissioned work, not their own passions
- Private patrons (e.g., Scott Alexander, Zvi) offer more freedom than institutional grants like EAIF
- Patrons with good taste fund talent without quarterly reports or application processes
- The post encourages readers to seek direct patron relationships over corporate funding bodies
Why It Matters
For tech professionals and creatives, patronage offers an alternative to jobs that misalign with important work.