Intermedium (Pty) Ltd was founded by Tshepiso Mohlala of iKauru and, the Black Collectors Forum, and Rudi Kruger of the Index Innovation Group (Pty) Ltd in partnership with Capital Centric Ltd a public company active in the Financial and Media sectors. Forming a formidable troika, the founders are committed to uplift all the participants in the art and collectibles eco-system.
Key to this initiative is the Media Catalogue Fund that is listed on the JSE Private Placement Platform. Via the MCF Fund investment capital is raised from the retail, corporate and institutional sectors and deployed in the art eco-system as asset backed loan funding or equity investments. The fund is currently yielding a return of 18% per annum.
It is the objective of Intemedium to work closely with all incumbents in the art community and to provide the appropriate consulting and financial support based on commercial merit. Ten percent of all profits earned will be reinvested as grant funding via the Intemedium Foundation to support emerging artist and eco-system participants such as framers and installers to further their artistic and commercial opportunities.
Fulltime Artists, who are self-employed, face significant challenges due to their lack of access to conventional employment benefits such as a regular paycheck, pension, unemployment insurance, medical aid, paid holidays, and performance bonuses. This absence of industry standard financial and social benefits makes it difficult for artists to engage fully in the economy and access credit, as they typically do not have traditional financial documentation like payslips or audited financials.
Intemedium addresses these issues through the Capital Centric Creative Wealth offerings. By joining the Intemedium Platform, artists can gain access to essential social benefits, including a payslip and accounting services, which facilitate their participation in the broader economic framework. This initiative aims to provide artists with the missing elements of financial stability and support, akin to what is available to employees in conventional sectors.
Intemedium serves as a connective force in the art industry, offering financial and social support to artists and facilitating collaboration among all stakeholders. Its innovative approach through the Media Catalogue Fund and Creative Commerce offerings is set to transform how artists and art-related entities operate, ensuring a more integrated and supportive art ecosystem.