A call to bring back patronage

I’m currently dealing with an issue which is all too common to those starving in the arts world. I have managed to get a job which keeps me from actually starving but working also means that I’m less able to participate in/attend  the arts and cultural events that are the reason I’m in the arts to begin with. This is nothing new to me or probably anyone without a trust fund in the arts. Until you get that all coveted job doing what you love and getting paid for it (more elusive than you might think) this is a struggle that will continue. Which is why I’m wondering what happened to arts patrons (a nicer term than sugar daddy)? In ages past this was common. An artist would be supported by a wealthy person who benefited from showing off their respective artist in society. It was a win win in most ways. The artist got financial support while being able to focus on their art and the patron was rewarded by looking worldly and cultured. Obviously there are drawbacks that I’m choosing to overlook but right now if it meant I could go to all the shows, plays, and arts events I wanted to without worrying about showing up for work – I think it’s something to consider.