Finance

Art marketanalysis

How ‘high street’ art galleries are achieving serious sales success

They might not be hailed by the critics, but the likes of Opera and Halcyon are forging ahead

Just a year after opening, Serge Gainsbourg’s house museum hits financial trouble

The Graffiti-strewn building became a pilgrimage for devotees of the singer when it opened 32 years after his death—but despite healthy ticket sales, the institution has racked up huge debts, with its backers accused of mismanagement

Deutsche Bank re-hangs massive collection at new London headquarters

German conglomerate also commissions works by four artists for UK base

Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund to acquire minority stake in Sotheby's

Patrick Drahi will remain auction house's majority shareholder in $1bn deal, as ADQ buys shares to "reduce leverage" and support "growth and innovation"

Italy clamps down on company guaranteeing art investment returns

Art Invest Srl claims it will sell paintings and buy them back for a 6.8% value increase over 18 months

Bonhams executive Alex Fortescue has died aged 55

His death was confirmed by Epiris, the private equity firm that owns the auction house

Banksynews

Scheme to sell fractions of Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara could be illegal, lawyer says

Online company managing the Margate mural, intended as a comment on domestic abuse, has already sold more than £250,000 in shares

Financeanalysis

UBS completes takeover of Credit Suisse—but what will happen to the bank's art world sponsorships?

Credit Suisse’s current benefactors include Kunsthaus Zurich, Kunstmuseum Basel and the National Gallery in London

Getty Images rejects venture capital firm's $4bn takeover bid

Getty Images has rejected a takeover attempt by the Boston-based venture investment company Trillium Capital, citing issues with the feasibility and transparency of the bid

Art market wobble: what happens if banks go bust?

Plus, hip hop in Baltimore and Juan de Pareja, the artist enslaved by Velázquez

Hosted by Ben Luke. With guest speaker Melanie Gerlis. Produced by David. Clack, Aimee Dawson and Julia Michalska
Sponsored byChristie's

Credit Suisse’s art partnerships up in the air after emergency UBS takeover

With a major art collection and multiple museum sponsorship deals, the collapse of the defunct Swiss bank is likely to have ramifications for the art world

Art marketcomment

The rise of art-backed loans is spectacular—here's how they work

Sotheby's is reportedly offering new securities service as art and finance worlds increasingly converge

New accounts reveal Damien Hirst created and sold more than £8m-worth of art to benefit the NHS in 2020

Financial report also shows how the scope of his business changed over the course of the pandemic

Art marketanalysis

For US collectors buying in London, the dollar’s strength may be their only advantage

While the relative weakness of the pound this season has given Americans at Frieze more buying power, many other factors may prevent them from making major purchases

Jobsnews

Job opportunity: The Art Newspaper is hiring a Finance Manager

A full-time, London-based position has opened up for a diligent professional with accountancy experience

Christie’s launches venture capital fund for art tech startups with a focus on NFTs

Move follows concerted drive by the auction house to gain ground in the blockchain and fintech domains

The year of Australia's corporate art sell off? Major pension fund latest to liquidate collection

The Construction and Building Unions Superannuation fund hopes to net $6.3m from auctioning its works with Deutscher and Hackett’s in Melbourne

Advisory group Gurr Johns launches art lending arm

The art lending market has tripled in size in eight years and is now worth more than $24bn

Bored Ape NFT founders seek $5bn funding from Silicon Valley investor

The secretive crypto collective Yuga Labs is reportedly in talks with venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz to sell a multi-million dollar stake

'Art is now accepted as a financial asset, but it is still a questionable investment'

It is now normal to consider art a bankable asset—for the very wealthy at least—but the art market is too volatile and risky for most investors

Art and crypto: a marriage made in Miami

As the mayor pledges to move Silicon Valley to the city, Art Basel in Miami Beach ramps up its NFT offerings

Antiquities trade should prepare for more government oversight

US Treasury Department issues a call for input on forthcoming regulation that aims to counter money laundering

'Choose your unicorn: why angel investors are ploughing millions into art startups'

Tech-led art businesses are starting to attract venture capitalist funding, with the NFT platform MakersPlace recently gaining $30m investment

Lawnews

Bathurst family sues art lender over Gainsborough painting offered as collateral by disgraced dealer

The noble family, whose ancestors are depicted in the work, says Art Finance Partners should have known Timothy Sammons did not legally own the painting

Santander bank chairman and art collector Ana Botín appointed to International Monetary Fund advisory board

Group has been formed to tackle major financial issues including the coronavirus and its global economic impact

Another shake-up in art finance sector as Athena sold for $170m

New owner, digital investment platform YieldStreet, calls art finance an "exciting and sound new investment option" with low correlation to the stock market

Podcastspodcast

Can artists live off art alone? Plus, Los Angeles

Artist Tai Shani and art consultant James Doeser on the grim reality of working as an artist today and Jori Finkel on the inaugural edition of Frieze Los Angeles. Produced in association with Bonhams, auctioneers since 1793.

Hosted by Ben Luke. with guest speaker Jori Finkel. Produced by Julia Michalska, David Clack and Aimee Dawson
Art marketcomment

Collaboration is key to solving art-market financial crime

Similar endeavours in other industries suggest that there is merit in working together to reduce financial crime

Lawanalysis

Rule of law: Legal tips for art lovers

From new exhibitor regulations at Art Basel in Miami Beach to questions over insurance and taxes