Advice on Collecting from the Contemporary Art Society

Buying contemporary art is a highly pleasurable and rewarding activity. For those who can afford to, arguably the most rewarding way of engaging with art is to have the privilege of living with it on a daily basis and to have a long-term relationship with it over time as part of your life. Collecting is also vitally important for artists and the galleries that represent them.

If you are thinking about collecting contemporary art, here is some basic advice:

Look at as much art as you can
Apart from being a highly rewarding social activity, it is by far the best way to develop your eye as a collector.  Visit as many galleries – both public and commercial – as possible, and as many public institutions and their permanent collections as you can. 

Focus on your response to the work
When looking at art, focus on your response to the work. Try to look at the art for some time before resorting to the exhibition notes in order to develop your critical autonomy.  Reflect on your initial response and look deeper in order to develop a more rigorous understanding of what triggers personal taste and inclinations.  This takes time and involves looking at as much art as possible.

Research
Reading the specialist art press is important in order to develop your knowledge about the key movements in art history, to identify current trends and ideas in contemporary practice, critically engaged artists and the galleries which represent them, and what is happening in the market.

Become a member
Become a supporter of a public institution or a membership organisation like the Contemporary Art Society, to access independent specialist advice and programmes on contemporary collecting.

Develop Relationships
Develop relationships with reputable galleries that sell critically engaged art.  Join their mailing lists and attend private views and openings whenever possible.

Attend Fairs
Serious and committed collectors also attend international art fairs, biennales and exhibition openings and ensure they keep abreast of the latest developments in the established and emerging art centres.

Don’t rush
Spend time looking, researching and reading rather than impulse buying.  Develop your knowledge, engagement and a framework for your collection, so it is coherent.

Don't be afraid
When you are considering a purchase, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  This is all part of the learning process and sometimes mistakes can be productive in the development of a collection.

Things to consider when buying art, please click here for further information

The Contemporary Art Society is a national charity that encourages an appreciation and understanding of contemporary art in the UK. With the help of our members and supporters we raise funds to purchase works by new artists which we give to museums and public galleries where they are enjoyed by a national audience; we broker significant and rare works of art by important artists of the twentieth century for public collections through our networks of patrons and private collectors; we establish relationships to commission artworks and promote contemporary art in public spaces; and we devise programmes of displays, artist talks and educational events. Since 1910 we have donated over 8,000 works to museums and public galleries - from Bacon, Freud, Hepworth and Moore in their day through to the influential artists of our own times - championing new talent, supporting curators, and encouraging philanthropy and collecting in the UK.

If you would like to develop your knowledge of contemporary art and collecting visit the Contemporary Art Society website