INDEPENDENT COLLECTORS is an international community and publishing platform dedicated to contemporary art.
MISSION
With the help of our network of 7 000 collectors across 98 countries, our dedicated goal is to be the longest-lasting chronicle of all relevant private collections worldwide.
THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF ART
The collectors featured on this platform do not necessarily consider themselves a collective, but they do own millions of artworks collectively. Their personalities may be as different as the art they collect, but they are united in the belief that their collections are best served when shared with others. Together they form a permeable circle, marking the end of an outdated idea of exclusivity: a new inclusive space where singularities transform and synergies begin.
INDEPENDENT COLLECTORS is a testament to the power of the collective, a thank you to the people who invest in culture, and an invitation to the public to be intellectually seduced and challenged by contemporary art.
HISTORY
In 2008, INDEPENDENT COLLECTORS was founded as the very first digital community for collectors by a group of friends surrounding Christian Kaspar Schwarm.
In 2011, the German newspaper „Die Zeit“ described us as „Facebook for aesthetics“. Not only did we find the description misleading (we never set out to create a network for millions of people!), but the comparison simply didn’t age well. From the very beginning, it wasn’t elitism we were after, but a new form of exclusiveness. We replaced quantity – the secret behind every successful social network – with the quality of an individually verified community.
PARTNERSHIP
Since 2009, INDEPENDENT COLLECTORS has been in partnership with BMW Group Culture. The joint project BMW ART GUIDE began in 2012 with the ambitious task of compiling a worldwide list of private yet physically accessible art collections – including those that had never before opened their doors to the public. This resulted in a pocket-sized travel guide that would radically improve access to private art. The initiative now inspires many collectors to open their private homes filled with art.
The 7th edition was released in June 2022 and features 304 collections in 224 cities and 52 countries. Available as printed book and ebook via Hatje Cantz, Amazon or your local book store.
SERVICES
INDEPENDENT CONNECTORS – the mothership of this platform – provides services for corporate and private clients who seek access to the art world (or need help navigating it).
The company assists in all phases of the development and implementation of cultural initiatives: from conceptualization to execution to the creation of exceptional content. Our consultants and production teams are based in Athens, Basel, Berlin, Cologne, Milan, New York, Rome and Zurich.
THANK YOU
Art is a gift. When we look at an artwork, are pulled into it, or interact with it, we say a wordless »thank you« to all the artists that fascinate, inspire, and sometimes even change us. Our heartfelt thanks also go to the collectors who appear on this platform. Your support and trust in us have made it all possible. Thank you to our committed team of authors and editors, and to the many contributors in the IC network. You never turn away from the challenge. And last but not least, thank you to all the corporate players who invest in art initiatives in a responsible and sometimes even pioneering way. Thank you.