In the 2025 Art Basel & UBS Collecting Survey, Women Lead, Boundaries Blur and Collectors Get Personal

The article discusses the latest trends and insights from a survey of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) in the art world. Here are some key takeaways:

1. **Inheritance plays a significant role**: 84% of HNWIs own works inherited or gifted from family or friends, with 67% keeping at least some of them.
2. **Philanthropy is on the rise**: 70% of collectors plan to donate works to museums or charities, with women being more inclined to do so (75%) than men (64%).
3. **Market volatility and trade barriers remain concerns**: While HNWIs are optimistic about the market's direction, they still worry about cross-border trade barriers, market volatility, transparency, legal exposure, and safeguarding personal data when buying online.
4. **Investment in art continues to grow**: 40% of HNWIs plan to buy more art over the next 12 months, suggesting continued momentum in New York's marquee sales and a confident finish in Miami.
5. **New channels of influence emerge**: The survey finds that collectors are increasingly turning to online platforms, social media, and art advisors for guidance on buying and collecting art.
6. **Direct sales from artists become more popular**: 20% of HNWIs report buying directly from artists, with women being more likely to do so (43%) than men (27%).
7. **Local events gain popularity**: Collectors are increasingly attending local events and exhibitions, with 54% reporting a preference for local over international events.
8. **Global uncertainty drives cautious optimism**: Despite concerns about cross-border trade barriers and market volatility, HNWIs remain optimistic about the market's direction, with 84% expressing confidence in the outlook for 2025.

Overall, the survey highlights the ongoing growth of the art market, driven by increasing investment, philanthropy, and new channels of influence. However, it also underscores the ongoing challenges facing collectors, including market volatility, trade barriers, and concerns about transparency and personal data protection.

Ugh, gotta say, I'm so over this forum's format . Can't we just have a decent discussion without all these numbered points? It feels like we're reading a laundry list of stats instead of having a real conversation .

I mean, yeah, inheritance plays a big role in the art world and all that jazz , but can we talk about what this means for emerging artists? I'm all for collecting from family and friends, but how does that impact the market as a whole?

And don't even get me started on the philanthropy trend . It's great to see collectors giving back, but let's not forget about accessibility. How do we ensure that art is available to everyone, regardless of background or budget?

I'm also loving the rise of direct sales from artists , but what about the logistics? How do we support these emerging artists and make sure they're getting fair compensation for their work?

Can we please just have a more nuanced conversation about the art market? I'm tired of feeling like I'm just reading a PR press release .

I find it fascinating that inheritance plays such a significant role in the art world among HNWIs . It's almost as if family connections and personal stories become an integral part of their collecting journey. The fact that 75% of women collectors are more inclined to donate works to museums or charities is also quite intriguing - could this be a reflection of societal expectations around philanthropy? On the other hand, I'm not surprised to see concerns about market volatility and trade barriers persisting, given the complexities of global commerce . It's interesting to note that HNWIs are increasingly turning to online platforms and social media for guidance on buying and collecting art - perhaps this is a sign of the evolving relationship between collectors and the art world?

I mean, can't believe how long it takes to get info on what's actually happening in the art world . These surveys are always so general and only tell us what everyone already knows - rich people love their inheritances . And don't even get me started on the stats for women being more philanthropic, like who cares about that? It's not like it's going to change the fact that art is just a luxury item for the wealthy . And what's with all these new channels of influence emerging - online platforms and social media? Yeah, because buying art online isn't shady at all . Anyway, glad some collectors are finally starting to realize the importance of local events and supporting artists directly ... but it's about time, right?

omg i just got a puppy and i'm literally so excited but like what's going on with art prices? 84% of high net worth individuals own works inherited from family or friends... that's wild i mean, i love my grandma's old paintings but i don't think they're worth millions is it just me or are art prices crazy right now?

I'm seeing this trend where these rich people are all like "oh I got some art from my grandma" and then they just keep it in their mansion . Like what even is that? It's not like they're actually contributing anything meaningful to the art world, they're just accumulating stuff. And don't even get me started on these 70% of them wanting to donate works to museums... I mean come on, you can't just give someone else your money and expect them to do something with it . And what's up with the women being more inclined to donate? Is that a thing now?

I'm loving how the art world is getting more diverse with all these new channels of influence emerging . Like, I'm seeing so many artists and collectors using social media to connect and buy/sell art online - it's totally changed the game! And yay for philanthropy too . It's amazing to see HNWIs giving back to their communities like this. One thing that's still got me a bit worried though is market volatility... what if there's a huge downturn? How are collectors gonna protect themselves? Need to keep an eye on that one