How has the CEO and founder of 50 successful galleries in Mayfair and across the UK been tackling “the elitism that dominates the world of culture”? Frances Hedges talked to Helen Swaby to find out.
'As the CEO and founder of Whitewall Galleries and Clarendon Fine Art, I oversee more than 50 successful galleries in Mayfair and across the UK, as well as being responsible for the art collections onboard 10 ocean liners, in partnership with Cunard and P&O. The Whitewall portfolio is affordable and accessible, reflecting contemporary design, fashion and culture, while Clarendon Fine Art concentrates more on original work and investment pieces from 20th- and 21st-century masters. My role has always been to oversee and inspire the three key elements of the business: customer experience, artist talent and team members.
I started the company determined to tackle the elitism that dominates the world of culture, in order to change the perception that contemporary art was for a chosen few. Twenty-five years later, we have a team of 400 amazing people out there democratising art, encouraging people who had never previously walked through a gallery door to discover the joy of collecting. Here are the five key lessons I’ve learnt along the way' ... Keep reading on Harper's Bazaar
'As the CEO and founder of Whitewall Galleries and Clarendon Fine Art, I oversee more than 50 successful galleries in Mayfair and across the UK, as well as being responsible for the art collections onboard 10 ocean liners, in partnership with Cunard and P&O. The Whitewall portfolio is affordable and accessible, reflecting contemporary design, fashion and culture, while Clarendon Fine Art concentrates more on original work and investment pieces from 20th- and 21st-century masters. My role has always been to oversee and inspire the three key elements of the business: customer experience, artist talent and team members.
I started the company determined to tackle the elitism that dominates the world of culture, in order to change the perception that contemporary art was for a chosen few. Twenty-five years later, we have a team of 400 amazing people out there democratising art, encouraging people who had never previously walked through a gallery door to discover the joy of collecting. Here are the five key lessons I’ve learnt along the way' ... Keep reading on Harper's Bazaar