Advisory Services
Access
We build collector relationships to last a lifetime. Over time, we have also developed strong, lasting partnerships with a wide range of offering agents—from bluechip international galleries and up-and-coming ones, to experienced auction experts and private collectors and dealers. These trusted collaborations, supported by our solid reputation for integrity, insight, and thoroughness, and our comprehensive global market knowledge, offer our collectors exceptional access and strategic advantages in a competitive landscape.
Research
Over the years, KEY ART has built a one-of-a-kind database containing thousands of privately offered artworks—a proprietary resource that provides market insights far beyond what public auction records reveal. Combined with the support from our local libraries, this exclusive data allows us to construct a comprehensive framework of art historical and financial analysis, equipping our clients to make informed decisions across both the primary and secondary markets.
Expertise
Information holds little value without the expertise to differentiate lasting significance from passing trends. In a market filled with distractions and noise, our years of experience, ongoing research, and trusted relationships enable us to guide collectors toward meaningful acquisitions and informed choices. We offer nuanced, in-depth analysis tailored to each client’s interests, along with honest insight into the often subjective, shifting, and opaque markers of both critical and financial value in an ever-evolving art landscape.
Collection Development
KEY ART understands that there are no two collectors who are the same. We value spending time to unearth our clients’ personalities and individual goals for their acquisitions. Over the years, we have helped shape and sustain remarkable collections, working with the finest artworks and leading galleries. Our guidance is rooted in deep art historical knowledge, market insight, and commercial acumen. We prioritise our collectors’ passions, objectives, and interests, supporting them to make strategic decisions to either acquire, sell, donate, or loan works overtime. Our advice is always impartial, free from outside agendas or financial conflicts. Our client is always the collector.
Collection Management
Stewardship of an art collection requires thoughtful care, and KEY ART offers comprehensive support for the ongoing management of artworks. A collection’s lasting value stems from the ongoing care of its artworks, and our services address both the conceptual and technical dimensions of building and managing a collection. We coordinate the full range of third-party services needed to preserve, showcase, and sustain a collection’s value over time. This includes databasing, shipping, insurance, installation, storage, conservation, museum loans, liaising with legal teams, and public relations.
Institutional Integration
Our view of lasting value goes beyond financial considerations, encompassing collaboration on philanthropic initiatives. We help our clients integrate their collecting pursuits into the broader context of their professional lives, personal relationships, and long-term family assets. With a forward-thinking approach, we uncover and strengthen the curatorial, personal, and relational significance that underlies each client’s connection to art. Our strategic guidance positions the collection as a meaningful extension of their cultural engagement—far more than a series of acquisitions.
Key Art Advisory Fees
In line with industry standards for primary market pieces, KEY ART charges collectors 10% of the retail price, as a commission fee, for every acquisition. We consistently strive to secure the best deals and discounts for our clients, always optimising and prioritising their interests. For our most valued collectors, we also offer the alternative option of a retainer fee—an arrangement we highly recommend for those who are particularly active in the market. As opposed to charging a commission on every transaction, the client pays a quarterly fee in exchange for our full range of services listed above.
