Subscription Art Site Lets You Hang New Art Each Month

Anyone who begins an art collection today should be aware that how we “collect” art might be radically different five to ten years from now.

Like the fields of music and publishing, the field of art is being re-imagined to reduce costs and make more works available to more people. Some new business models for selling art are being designed to appeal to younger generations of buyers who may prefer to live an “asset-light” lifestyle. Instead of accumulating, owing, and storing physical stuff, people might prefer acquiring assets in digital form so they can be viewed on-screen without maintenance and storage costs.  On the other hand, the more we engage with multiple “screens” on a daily basis, the more we tend to value the beauty of physical objects.

So I was interested to learn about GetArtUp — a new subscription art service through which you can hang a different piece of locally made, contemporary original art on your wall each month. Right now, the service is only available to residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. But because so many people throughout the U.S. have expressed interest in the concept, it could be available in other cities in the near future.

GetArtUp's online marketplace allows you to browse a diverse gallery of art just as you would on a shopping site. You can search the art by size, type, artist, and color. Along with the monthly rental cost, you can see how much it would cost to buy the piece outright.

All subscription plans include insurance so the art is protected from general damage while it’s in your Professional art handlers will deliver and install the art on location. The service also includes free advice from GetArtUp’s professional curators.

GetArtUp was founded by entrepreneur Tricia Rampe who was trained at Sotheby’s in London and  earned a graduate degree in Fine and Decorative Art. Rampe believes that most people don’t realize what an impact their visual surroundings have on productivity or state of mind. She says that “Whether it's a print, sculpture, or oil painting, art has the ability to magically transform a space."

“The feedback to  GetArtUp has been tremendous,” Rampe says, “Customers have been most excited about the idea that for a fraction of what a high-end picture costs to buy, they can have it hanging on their wall. If they want to purchase the work that is always an option.”

She says artists are enthusiastic about the possibility of earning income from their work while still retaining ownership. This business model can be especially beneficial to artists who are just starting out and try to market their work without a gallery.”

“As I see it, technology can enhance the art world and encourage one’s ability to participate in it. Technology allows for new experiences, pricing models, and modes for the dissemination of art,” adds Rample. “Our service is a wonderful way for new collectors to experience art and try it on the wall before they buy.”

LINK

GetArtUp