Project 18
Ralph Steadman Retrospective
Fiscal Sponsorship, Design Support, Event Production
Project Brief
Ralph Steadman—the Gonzo illustrator behind Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas—needed a nonprofit fiscal sponsor to manage funding for a national retrospective tour. Section1 was selected as fiscal sponsor, receiving and managing $500K on behalf of the project while providing design and marketing support across gallery shows in Miami Art Basel, LA, Chicago, New York, and beyond. Supporting a living legend's life work across America's most prestigious art venues was exactly the kind of project Section1 was built for.
Duration
1 Year (2016)
Services
Fiscal Sponsorship, Design Direction, Marketing Support, Event Production
$500K sponsorship
5+ major U.S. cities
Gonzo AF!
Project Overview
Section1 served as fiscal sponsor for the Ralph Steadman U.S. Retrospective—receiving and managing $500K on behalf of the national gallery tour celebrating one of America's most iconic illustrators. Best known for his anarchic imagery in Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Steadman's retrospective required a credible nonprofit institution to manage funds and provide operational support across multiple major markets.
Working alongside Section1's President Chip Watkins, managed project finances while delivering design and marketing support for gallery shows spanning Miami Art Basel, LA, Chicago, New York, and beyond.
Beyond fiscal management, provided hands-on design support for tour materials, marketing collateral, and event production—ensuring the retrospective's visual presentation matched the magnitude of Steadman's work. The project represented Section1 operating at its highest institutional level: using the nonprofit's credibility to steward resources for cultural work that deserved a national platform. Working alongside a living legend whose illustrations defined American counterculture—and yes, meeting Johnny Depp along the way—made this one of the most memorable projects of the Section1 era.
My Approach
As Executive Director of Section1, managed $500K in funds on behalf of the retrospective—writing checks, coordinating payments, and ensuring financial operations ran cleanly across a multi-city national tour. Worked alongside Chip Watkins to coordinate gallery relationships across Miami Art Basel, LA, Chicago, New York, and beyond. This required managing timelines, venue logistics, and stakeholder relationships across America's most prestigious art institutions simultaneously. Section1's nonprofit credibility made it possible to move resources at the scale the retrospective demanded.
Provided design support for tour materials and marketing collateral that had to honor Steadman's iconic visual legacy without attempting to replicate it. Created supporting assets worthy of work that defined American counterculture—functional across major gallery venues while capturing the anarchic energy Steadman's art was known for. Coordinated marketing materials across five major markets, ensuring each city's presentation maintained the retrospective's national narrative while feeling locally relevant to each gallery's audience.
Word on the Street
"Section1 provided more than sponsorship—they provided the institutional backbone that made this tour possible. Design support, marketing execution, and genuine passion for Ralph's legacy made them the ideal partner for a retrospective of this scale."
