Date of Award

2026

Document Type

MA Project - Restricted Access (SIA Only)

Project Type

MA Project - Business Plan

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art Business

First Advisor

Lawrence Motz

Second Advisor

Brendan Burns

Abstract

De Cort Advisory is a New York–based art-advisory and curating practice that works globally, integrating art with principles of emotional well-being for private collectors and select institutions. It sources contemporary and modern art, with occasional Old Masters available on request, and positions the offer as a curated selection that elevates mood and supports a positive mindset in living and workspaces. Core client groups include private collectors, business offices, hospitals, wellness clinics, and hotel audiences that treat the atmosphere as a strategic asset rather than a luxury.   Commercially, the practice concentrates on the mid-market, with typical acquisitions between $10,000 and $500,000 per work; this band has remained comparatively resilient while top-end public sales softened, so the focus is on throughput and retention rather than trophy hunting. The business model combines fee- and commission-based private advisory, psychology-themed popup exhibitions with partners, guest curation for galleries, and selection/placement programs for wellness-oriented corporate sites.   Over the next twelve months, the plan is to refine the client process, deliver one well-researched exhibition, and document client outcomes using a simple satisfaction measure. The practice will use existing relationships with artists and galleries demonstrated by the August 2025 Hamptons exhibition, “Ocean: Still Waters Run Deep,” and a network that includes Perrotin artists to accelerate sourcing and placements. The 12-month targets for De Cort Advisory are: twelve residential placements a year. Lastly, two pop ups a year, with net income of ≥ $94,070. This is after removing how much the artist makes: 50%, cost of renting a space, around 5000-10,000$, shipping, insurance, heating.  My projections for the first year are gross revenue of 1.74 million dollars, net revenue of 270,000 dollars and net income of 174,860 dollars.

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