The rise of the Art Advisor

With galleries increasingly under pressure, and universities pumping out a stream of arts professionals, other job options are flourishing as emerging collectors are hungry for professional advice. But is Australia following the trend?
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They flock to art fairs around the world with clients in tow. They help navigate perceptions of value and nurture collecting tastes. And, they have the opportunity of realising exciting commissions ranging from public artworks, to corporate foyers to architecturally designed homes. Welcome to the world of the Art Advisor.

While we may think this is a relatively new profession, it has been around for hundreds of years. British author Georgina Adam traces it back to the 17th century when the painter Diego Velázquez bought works for King Philip IV of Spain.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina