The global art market is staggeringly large – in 2014 it was estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of €51bn. The USA is the largest single market, with the UK and China sharing second place. But what are the trends that drive these markets? Some styles and subjects are more popular in different regions than others. Knowing this can help you figure out how you should be marketing your art to a global audience.

Colour

Different countries favour diverse colours – using these can help you choose where to market your art. According to a YouGov study, blue is the colour with the greatest international appeal and it is the most popular colour in 10 different countries. The UK is home to the greatest number of blue lovers. The survey also revealed the difference in colour appreciation between men and women. As conventionally expected, men tend to prefer blue and women prefer warmer colours. Surprisingly however, only 10% of women preferred pink. In terms of age demographics again blue was the stand out winner.

Subject

Not only will the colours you choose affect the popularity of your work in different markets, the subject of the work can also have a huge impact on its saleability.  In the UK, art that depicts animals tends to be much easier to sell. Whereas across the Atlantic in the US, portraiture is preferred. These differences tend to reflect the respective cultures. The US preference for portraiture could be explained as a reflection of their individualist culture. Whereas in the UK we are a nation of animal lovers and this is clearly reflected in the art we choose to hang in our homes.

Art Movements

Abstract, modernism, realism, graffiti and impressionism are just some of the many different art movements that inspire artists. Again some of these movements are more popular in certain nations than others. Differences between the US and Europe are significant – with the US favouring realism and European audiences preferring modernism and impressionism. These differences extend to other global regions and Asian art lovers tend to have similar tastes to their US counterparts, however they are more receptive to oriental inspired art than American art buyers.

As you can see, the global art market is diverse and tastes vary greatly between continents and individual nations. Obviously art should be a personal expression by the artist. But when planning on selling work it is worth keeping these trends in mind in order to find the most receptive market to your work.

Has this helped you plan which countries to market your art to? Share your thoughts on the global art industry on our social media pages.

Picture1GLOBE

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share