I don't think that examining the breakdown of one funding source is indicative of a shift in culture. Especially not a funding source like Patreon. Patreon is

I don't think that examining the breakdown of one funding source is indicative of a shift in culture. Especially not a funding source like Patreon. Patreon is especially suited for funding ongoing efforts or something that has a recurring payoff (weekly podcasts, YouTube videos, or regular releases of comics). That lends itself to "mundane" things as the author puts it. If you want to create a magnum opus you need to raise funds for a single big effort, so something like Kickstarter is a lot more appropriate. I'm sure if the author perused Kickstarter they would find many "grand" ideas. There is also traditional funding for established creators looking to do something grand. If you are a director looking to create the masterpiece to cap your career, chances are that you're getting a movie studio to pay for it based on your previous successes. The same goes for successful artists in most fields that can use their reputation to fund something grand. Looking at Patreon only gives you a single piece of the puzzle.