Buying iconic art has traditionally been the preserve of the very rich. This may be about to change with the emergence of the Art IPO. Similar to a traditional IPO, where shares of a private company are issued to the public for the first time, an art IPO involves dividing the ownership of a single artwork into smaller units. Instead of buying an entire work of art, investors will now be able to buy a share in it. These shares can then be bought, sold or traded on a secondary market, through specialised exchanges. It is hoped this innovative approach to investing in fine art will democratise access to the exclusive asset class.

 Ordinary investors, locked out of the blue-chip art market for centuries by prohibitive prices, may finally be about to get a look-in.  Art IPOs are igniting sparks of interest over their potential for opening-up market access and diversifying investment portfolios. Before jumping in, private banks and asset managers need to understand how Art IPO and fractured ownership models work in practice, so they can properly advise their clients. How are paintings valued? What is the expected liquidity of fractional shares in secondary markets? How are returns generated? What happens to the artwork? And how is the sector regulated? 

Designed for asset managers, asset owners, wealth managers, private banks, and family offices within Europe, this digital panel will evaluate the investment opportunity offered by fractional ownership in high-value art. Grounded in the financial context, discussion will explore the mechanics of the Art IPO, with a focus on risk management, liquidity and secondary markets, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Discover what the current appetite is like for investing in this way, and the challenges still to be overcome before it can go mainstream. 

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