About This Place
For many emerging artists, the structures in the art world are defined by unbalanced power dynamics and exploitation of labour, while those new to buying art and investing in culture are often put off by exclusionary conventions and obscured information. Art of This Place exists because we believe local artists should be treated fairly, transparently and with integrity; and we believe finding, appreciating and investing in this art should be easy.
Art of This Place seeks to create a platform that represents its carefully selected participating artists fairly, transparently and with integrity.
Our Approach
We firmly believe in justice and equality. For this reason, we value fairness as one of our core operating principles. In practice, this means that we pay all contributors and employees for all work done for the platform; we ensure all artists have an equal voice and platform; and artists aren’t bound to us by contractual obligations and are free to work with whoever they choose outside of the platform and move on when it no longer serves their best interests.
Alongside fairness, we also value transparency as an operating principle. This means we make all information related to pay available upon request to ensure confidence in the fair allocation of resources; we communicate with artists and contributors before making any structural decisions that may affect them; and we take a 20% sales commission that values the artists and the work while allowing the platform to be self-sufficient and grow.
Lastly, we value integrity. We believe it is imperative that Art of This Place embodies the ‘place’ in which it operates by selecting artists and hiring employees who represent it, as well as seeking to amplify those voices within the arts that have too often been ignored.
We offer emerging artists a platform to sell their work with a commission half that of the norm and we offer collectors access to high-quality works while they are still affordable.
Frequently Asked Questions
For Buyers
Why Should I Buy From Art of This Place Instead of a Gallery?
With Art of This Place, you’ll know the artists are getting a greater share of the money, reflecting our mission that everyone be paid fairly for their work.
How Will My Artwork Purchase Be Delivered?
There are three delivery options: tubing (coming soon), boxing and crating.
Tubing (coming soon): The work is rolled into a protective cardboard tube
Boxing: The work is wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a cardboard box.
Crating: Larger or more fragile works can be placed in a wooden crate to ensure safety.
How Long Will It Take For My Artwork to Arrive?
7-14 days. The exact time depends on where you live relative to the artist. If you live in the same city as the artist, for example, delivery will be much faster.
For Artists
How Do I Become A Participating Artist?
You will need to submit 3 examples of your work, a bio and your CV to info@artofthisplace.com. You’ll also be asked to add a brief description of your practice.
Will I Be Under Exclusive Contract with Art of This Place?
Participating artists will not be exclusively represented by Art of This Place, and are free to both show and sell through other entities.
What Does Art of This Place Do For Me?
It promotes your work to buyers through curated and considered features and digital exhibitions, while ensuring you are fairly paid for your work.
Founders
Jamie McGraw
Jamie is a behavioural economist. “A what?” you ask. Well, imagine psychology and economics had a baby – that’s the field Jamie works in. He spends most of his time thinking about how the human mind works and implements changes in the world that aim to help people make better decisions for themselves.
The design of marketplaces has fascinated Jamie since he was a student and the most interesting of these marketplaces is, in his opinion, art. There is no space in which subjectivity and the human mind play a bigger role.
Like many Art of This Place patrons, Jamie doesn’t know all that much about visual art, desperately wishes he did and has very little idea where to start. Because of this, and his passion for marketplaces, he started Art of This Place with his co-founders. As Operations Director, he hopes to implement a change that helps more people in the art world make better decisions for themselves.
Reahile Ramathesele
From an early age, Reahile (affectionately known as “Re”) displayed a keen interest in the arts, participating in various music, drama and dance competitions. While he now plies his trade as a marketer, the arts have remained significant in his life into adulthood.
He came to be involved with Art Of This Place when he was approached to lead the marketing for the venture and help build awareness of and affinity for the platform and its goals. As the company’s operating model, alongside its values of fairness, transparency and integrity resonated with him deeply, he enthusiastically agreed to join.
As Marketing Director, he is responsible for raising the public profile of the platform and in doing so help connect emerging voices within the arts to experienced collectors and laypeople alike.
Sam Goldblatt
Sam has strong roots within South African arts and was privileged to grow up around local artists, both emerging and established. He has worked in the art world, both in South Africa and internationally, such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Marian Goodman in New York and Michael Werner Gallery in London.
Sam has built relationships with many of South Africa’s most exciting artistic voices and collaborated to provide promote and expand their artistic practices. More recently he has enjoyed channelling his creativity, becoming a chef in London.