Collecting women artists is driving a cultural shift

To collect women artists today is to stand at the frontier of a cultural rebalancing — shaping the canon while seizing one of the most compelling opportunities in the art market. The future of collecting, like the future of culture, is female.

The art world and the world at large is at a turning point. Across politics, professions, markets, and art, women are claiming space not as exceptions, but as protagonists. For centuries, women shaped art history largely as subjects, rarely as equal participants. Today, their voices are not only entering the conversation, they are transforming it.

Nowhere is this more visible than in collecting. For the first time, women artists are entering collections at scale, with representation and market performance rising in tandem. Female artists now account for nearly half of collection activity, yet still only a quarter of auction sales. The opportunity and the responsibility could not be clearer.

To collect women artists today is not only to capture this turning point, it is to contribute to it. It is to stand at the frontier of a cultural rebalancing, where under-represented voices finally reshape the canon. It is also a rare opportunity for collectors: to acquire significant works before recognition and valuation fully align.

Image taken during private view of Women in the Picture. Photo: © Max, YMX events

Our exhibition, Women in the Picture, reflected that urgency. The artists gathered did not simply demand visibility; they expanded the very terms of how art can be made, seen, and remembered. Their voices are vital, their perspectives reshaping the field, and their momentum undeniable. With Women in the Picture, we presented our audience with not just an opportunity to view art, but to engage in a movement: to collect with conviction, to contribute to change, and to secure works that will define the future.

Image taken during private view of Women in the Picture. Photo: © Max, YMX events

As the founder of Artscapy, I was proud to present this inaugural annual exhibition. Artscapy empowers thousands of collectors worldwide to build and evolve their collections across brokerage, lending, insurance, and collection management. Our mission is to make collecting not only a passion, but a legacy.

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