Ariel Marcelo Aisiks: A new generation is emerging, less focused on market trends and more committed to transparency and innovation. They view collecting as a form of stewardship: a way to support artists, elevate new narratives, and contribute to public knowledge.
This shift is especially visible in the digital realm. Blockchain-based projects have redefined how we think about provenance, circulation, and access. The inherent characteristics of blockchain—where ownership, transactions, and metadata are immutably recorded—has introduced new models of accountability. Increasingly, collectors are pairing acquisition with strategies that promote open access and technological experimentation.
Lonti Ebers: It’s no surprise that the youngest generation of would-be art collectors is impacted by uncertain economic and political conditions. Their turning to experiential and “collectible” expenditures allows them to spend significantly less while offering immediate gratification. It takes a degree of
curiosity and intelligence to appreciate the joys of art and its market. The highs of spectacle and speculation are short-lived while a little education leads to many more opportunities. A neophyte collector can explore areas of interest and opportunity, and the work need not be expensive.
Denise and Gary Gardner: We can’t speak about young collectors as a whole; we don’t consider ourselves experts in the field. We do have some sense of how the next generation may be collecting through our children, who are in their 40s, and are avid collectors. One distinction we notice is that our children utilize digital media, especially podcasts, far more to learn about artists. They not only enjoy following artists on social media, but they also follow curators and art influencers. They seem to prioritize having a relationship with the artists, which is easier now with social media. They also seem to gravitate toward art that has a personal meaning for them. They enjoy “discovering” artists unknown yet to the mainstream media. While we’re not certain what this means for the future of collecting, it does suggest the significance of artistic expression endures with the next generation.
Grażyna Kulczyk recently bought Helen Frankenthaler’s Revolution (1957).
©Helen Frankenthaler Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Grażyna Kulczyk: In a dynamically growing economy like Poland’s, combined with a strong tradition of modern art, more and more people of the younger generation are actively engaging with art and approaching collecting in a thoughtful, deliberate way. What’s even more interesting is that the need—and even the intention—to build private cultural institutions is emerging rather often. More broadly, I think we’re seeing a similar tendency among young people around the world: After a wave of fascination with the new, there’s a growing curiosity about the past—a desire to understand how the present connects to what came before.
Jennifer and Alec Litowitz: As a family we have included our sons in our journey of collecting. All our children have visited galleries, museums, art events, and art fairs with us around the globe. We are excited to share our passion for the visual arts and instill a sense of cultural legacy and commitment to the arts within our family.
Suzanne McFayden: The younger collectors I know are asking what they want patronage to look like for them. This means institutions can no longer count on the status quo for donors. Coupled with a soft art market, a fluctuating economy for many, and other world woes, it might seem dire, but I think this can be an excellent chance for a necessary reset from the frenzy of the last few years. My advice remains the same: do research, get “eye mileage” in, and buy with that, not one’s ears.
Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger: Art collecting is always evolving — just like museums and the very ways that we engage with art. We see so much potential in the next generation. At the Nasher Sculpture Center, we have been encouraged by how many young people are actively participating—they are curious, thoughtful, and eager to explore what art can mean in their lives. Our advice to emerging collectors is simple: follow your curiosity, support what moves you, and engage with the people and ideas behind the work.
Purat “Chang” Osathanugrah recently purchased Peihang Benoit, Sardanapalus’s Pillow Fight, 2024.
Courtesy the artist and Sundaram Tagore Gallery
Purat “Chang” Osathanugrah: The new wave of collectors, myself included, is curious, open-minded. Collecting is personal. Whether it’s sneakers, vintage wines, art toys, or watches—there’s joy in all of it. I collect some of those too. But art offers something different: a slow burn, a deeper resonance. It stays with you. It challenges and comforts, often in the same breath. Sure, the art world can feel intimidating—or even like a bit of a hassle to navigate, especially when you’re just starting out. But once you’re in, you realize it’s less about owning something and more about being part of a conversation that crosses time, culture, and generations.
Cecilia and Ernesto Poma: I’m fortunate to be witnessing the next generation of art collectors unfolding in my children. I see them interested in works by emerging artists they are attracted to, giving me the opportunity to also learn and discover new talents alongside them. That is why our collection is now a “family collection.” The advice that I can give collectors starting out is the same I’d give to my kids. I would recommend to not focus on art as an investment and instead focus on art that you connect with. It’s important to dedicate time to educate yourself and find what you really vibrate with, to be especially cautious of trends, and trust your gut.
Sara and John Shlesinger: Every generation focuses on a variety of interests. There are not enough diverse entry points for young collectors who have limited time and resources. Serious collecting requires a maturity and sensibility that comes with age and experience and exposure. Art collecting will always have a future, and people will want to be a part of the experience and the community.
Basma Al Sulaiman: The landscape of art collecting and cultural philanthropy has undeniably shifted. The younger generation isn’t necessarily less interested in art, but their values and expectations are evolving. They are not drawn to traditional notions of patronage or legacy in the way previous generations were. Instead of “giving back” in the classic sense—through large institutional donations or named endowments—they seek impact, transparency, and relevance.
Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza: I see a generation that is far more interested in processes than possessions, in experiences and activism rather than accumulation. To some, that may sound like a threat to the traditional model of collecting, but to me it is profoundly hopeful. It shows a shift toward engagement, toward art as a living force rather than a static object.
Li Wang, Born In Tiger Year, 2023.
Photo Daniel Greer/Courtesy the artist and Micki Meng
Josef Vascovitz and Lisa Goodman: Every decade there is a “new trend.” Sometimes it’s into the masters and away from the young artists; other times, it is out with the masters and into the emerging artist. Today’s collector wants to feel they are appreciated, and we’ve heard repeatedly from galleries that they are asking more questions, taking a longer, slower look at the art before they buy, and wanting to be assured they are appreciated.
Our advice to collectors has seldom changed. Go into galleries and, if you like what you see, continue to go again and again. You don’t have to like every show—in fact, it helps to define what you don’t like. Once you establish a dialogue, these galleries will become partners in your collecting habits. At the end of the day, don’t buy because it’s a good investment, buy because you love the art. Leave investing to the finance guys—“art wealth” is in the heart.
Jenny Yeh: I really admire the next generation of collectors. They tend to trust their own instincts rather than simply following the mainstream market, which often results in much more diverse and personal collections.
Ryan Zurrer: I would categorize myself as a younger art collector and would therefore disagree that there is waning support among the next generation for art and museum patronage. I’m excited to see that museums are evaluating alternative models to drive sustainability, and we see decentralization in the support across generations, whereby a handful of very wealthy supporters are complemented by dozens of equally passionate supporters of lesser means and younger years. This more inclusive model makes sense given the public nature of these institutions.
Younger collectors are looking for deeper relationships with the works within their collections, often collecting directly from artists and building collaborative connections along the way. The art of our time should be representative of our cultural landscape and that means art that has both a physical and digital identity is increasingly important and art that constantly evolves speaks poignantly to our ever-changing world.
