It seems that almost every industry is looking to attract the millennial consumer, with this lucrative demographic possessing a huge spending power, as well as a ‘new outlook’ on almost every aspect of life compared to their previous counterparts. Valuing recommendations from friends and reviews rather than traditional advertising or endorsements, this consumer is a tough cookie to crack when using conventional techniques. And when buying art, this means that the common method of physical galleries and auctions are largely unappealing to this consumer, as virtual e-outlets gratify their needs better. Diverse, open and most importantly, online, Art2Arts is a pioneering web-based art gallery that appeals to the new wave of millennial collectors.
While the financial challenges faced by the millennial generation is well documented in the media, the desire to own pieces of original artwork has led to the growth of this new, alternative way to acquire pieces of art. Rather than being driven by exclusivity and extortionate pricing, online, open platforms such as Art2Arts enable these younger consumers to enter the art market without intimidation yet in a wholly collaborative way.
Michelle Gibbs, Director at Art2Arts commented, “While previous generations without the pre-existing connections or financial backing may have shied away from the art market, the millennial consumer is instead coming up with creative solutions that enable them to start their own unique collection of artwork, in a way that meets their needs. Websites such as Art2Arts caters to these requirements completely.”
An article, published in Artnet last August described the specific habits of the millennial collector, noting their desire to take a pro-active approach to their purchases, a tendency to take risks with innovative, contemporary pieces and a need for staying connected to the artists and galleries via online platforms.
Gibbs continued, “We take a collaborative approach at Art2Arts, giving every artist on our site their own online ‘space’ to upload a personal gallery. Through this, consumers can form a relationship with the artist, can contact them directly and can even order a commissioned piece.”
The online art gallery hosts a wide range of contemporary artists from across the UK, each producing work in a diverse variety of genres using many different techniques. Artwork can be discovered on the platform using its simple-search feature, filtering through the masses of quality artwork by price, colour, subject, style and more.
