The art industry comprises an incredibly diverse tapestry of experts in all sorts of professions. There are artists who conceive the work, fabricators who help them execute it, dealers who sell it, advisers who guide collectors, lawyers who draw up contracts, shippers who cart artworks around the world, insurers who secure the work, conservators who repair the works when damaged, and many others. klik99
Once a collector amasses holdings of a certain volume, say, more than they can display in their big-city town house or mansion and their second, idyllically located pied-à-terre—and often before they even reach that point—they require an expansive array of services. If they lend their precious pieces to museums, lawyers come into play to execute loan agreements. If they want to bid on a costly piece coming up at auction and find themselves in a cash crunch, they may rely on banks to front them money based on their art assets alone. klik99
The ARTnews Top Art World Professionals list (alphabetical and not ranked) focuses on the United States, since it remains the largest single national market. The country accounted for about 45 percent of the global art market by value last year, according to The Art Market 2023: A report by Art Basel & UBS, authored by art economist Clare McAndrew, founder of Arts Economics.
To compile this list, ARTnews consulted an array of specialists in the field, including more than a dozen art advisers—many of them members of the Association of Professional Art Advisors—as they often deal with a distinctive assortment of professionals in building and managing clients’ collections. We also spoke with representatives of nearly as many of the country’s top art galleries, focusing on those that participate in Art Basel, which has one of the world’s most competitive selection processes, as well as a handful of other well-placed art world veterans.
“Working with the right professionals allows for consistent quality service, which makes owning art fun rather than a hassle,” New York adviser Wendy Cromwell said. “This means that my clients can focus on the excitement of art collecting and the joy it brings into their lives, not logistics.” klik99