Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted Access (SIA Only)

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art Business

First Advisor

Maria Sancho Arroyo

Second Advisor

Noah Kupferman

Abstract

Digital conversion continues to shift how businesses as well as the art market communicates, presents, and even thinks about contemporary art.¹ In this thesis, I look at how five leading galleries—Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Pace, and Lisson—use tools like Instagram, TikTok, email newsletters, and virtual viewing rooms to shape visibility and build ongoing relationships with their audiences.² As I compared their public-facing digital strategies, it became clear that each gallery creates its own online identity—one that reflects its resources, brand values, and the kind of audience it hopes to reach.³Although these audiences are very similar. To understand these strategies more closely, I used a mixed-methods approach. This included tracking engagement data across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and pairing it with qualitative observations of viewing rooms, email campaigns, and the different narrative choices galleries make across digital touchpoints.⁴ I also read these findings alongside major industry reports, including the Art Basel & UBS Art Market Reports and the Hiscox Online Art Trade Report. These sources helped frame the broader shift in collector behavior and the growing acceptance of buying art online.⁵ Even though direct sales data mostly remains private in the primary market, certain patterns still emerged. Higher digital engagement often aligned with increased exhibition attendance, more diverse publics interacting with the gallery, and stronger signals of private sales activity.⁶ Mega galleries appear to use expansive digital ecosystems to reinforce their global presence and prestige, while smaller galleries rely on digital tools to highlight accessibility, intimacy, educational value—and, at times, sales under $50,000.⁷ Taken together, these findings suggest that digital marketing can no longer be treated as an optional add-on. It has become a core part of how contemporary galleries operate and communicate, helping them increase their brand awareness. The study also offers practical takeaways for galleries, artists, and arts professionals who are navigating an increasingly competitive and digitally shaped landscape. At the same time, the research is limited by the lack of access to internal analytics and confidential sales information. This gap points toward opportunities for future studies—ideally with interviews or collaboration with primary-market galleries.⁸

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