Interview: Understanding Best Practice in Art Advisory with Annelien Bruins

Aug 21, 2019

Annelien Bruins, independent Chief Marketing Officer, former CEO of Tang Art Advisory, course leader and instructor in our Art Advisory 201 Program, discusses how the art advisor’s role has changed over the past decade.

Why did you develop this course with 1AN?
Before my career switch to luxury marketing I was an art advisor for 20 years. I know from experience that there is very little support available for art advisors in terms of how to set up your business, how to come up with an appropriate fee structure and how to understand the legal ramifications of operating as an art advisor. With the Art Advisory 101 (geared towards aspiring art advisors) and Art Advisory 201 (focused on art advisors with some experience) courses we hope to address that gap in the market.

How has the role of art advisors changed over the last 10 years?
Art advisory used to be a fairly informal occupation. In other words, it was not considered a real profession. Times have changed, however. These days, with through-the-roof art values and more complex art transactions, an art advisor is expected to be a well-rounded professional with a working knowledge of not just art but also areas such as taxes, art law and conservation so that they know when to call in the experts in these respective areas. An art advisor really is, or should be, a collector’s quarterback at all times.

Can an art advisor do other things, like running a gallery?
Many art professionals take on a couple of different roles in the art market: appraisers who advise on art transactions; gallery owners who provide art advisory services. Aside from any legal restrictions that may apply to each of these professions (i.e., the USPAP standard for appraisers), I personally don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to fulfill more than one role, as long as you are completely transparent with your clients and charge them appropriately. Needless to say, when in doubt, always ask an experienced art attorney about the legal ramifications of your particular business model.

Find out more about Understanding Best Practice in Art Advisory with Annelien Bruins. Enroll in our Art Advisory 201 Program today!


Author

Annelien Bruins

Annelien Bruins serves as an independent Chief Marketing Officer to companies in the art, luxury and wealth management industries. She is a board member of the Foundation of the American Institute of Conservation.

Prior to her current focus on marketing strategy, she founded and ran her own art advisory firm in London, founded Katapult Coaching for Artists, an online business that...

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