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Art Matters Columns

Art Matters – How Gen Z influences our cultural and financial future

Highlights

  • Gen Z, born 1997 to 2012, is poised to shape the future of art and culture through a preference for experiences, live engagement, and artist-led activities like workshops and gallery visits.
  • They are the art collectors of the future, blending traditional art with digital forms and even artificial intelligence, while valuing financial prudence, job stability, and purpose-driven work over impulse buying.
  • A US government report shows Gen Z and Millennials have the highest arts participation, with Gen Z particularly drawn to digital art, film and video art, and diverse collectibles, alongside buying shifts from digital platforms to traditional venues.
  • Wokewaves Magazine notes that constant digital input from platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok accelerates their creative development and broadens audience reach without traditional gatekeepers, contributing to a more online, interconnected art market.
  • Experts project the online art market to reach about $17.76 billion by 2030, fueled largely by Gen Z engagement, signaling a resilient and evolving creative landscape that benefits artists and culture alike.
  • Takeaway: Gen Z's mix of experiential values, digital fluency, and social awareness is driving a shifting art world toward new formats, platforms, and opportunities for creative expression.

By Janet Sellers

“If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints, possibility doesn’t. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating, as a possibility!”

—Søren Kierkegaard

One wonders about the future of cultural expression and its direction. Our next generation of economic interests seems to rest with the up-and-coming generation, Gen Z. I found some good news for handmade arts from the National Library of Medicine: Gen Z values experiences, they enjoy visiting galleries and museums, attending a live painting session, or participating in an artist-led workshop, as these provide a sense of engagement that online interactions lack.

Gen Z are the art collectors of the future. They are the social demographic born between 1997 and 2012, in the age range now of 13-28 years old. Not just a trend but a way of life, they make their aesthetic impressions on things, including fashion, home décor, and entertainment, and brands are taking notice. You could say that more than previous generations, Gen Z prizes experiences over material possessions. Having grown up as digital natives in a world where they feel the need to be financially prudent, they are also more economically and socially prudent.

These are the ones that have grown up in a digital world and seamlessly blend traditional art forms with innovation, including digital forms and even artificial intelligence. Yet, they are socially conscious and generally hold socially progressive views, advocate for equality, and are concerned with sustainability and climate change. They value job stability, are less prone to impulse buying, and research extensively before purchasing, often preferring flexible, purpose-driven work over traditional corporate ladders.

A comprehensive U.S. government report on arts participation across generations shared detailed data showing that Gen Z and Millennials report the highest arts participation rates, both attending and creating art. Their broader generational report focused on trust, cultural engagement, community participation, and niche aesthetics for Gen Z. This understanding reveals how identity and subcultures shape artistic preferences. Younger collectors differ in interests, with Gen Z showing higher engagement in digital art, film/video art, and diverse “collectibles” compared with older generations. Survey data on where Gen Z buys art (digital platforms vs. traditional auction houses) show how this generation’s preferences differ from legacy collectors.

Wokewaves Magazine reports that this generation of creatives is consumers exposed to vast amounts of information and diverse perspectives from a young age, which accelerates their creative development. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have democratized content creation, allowing Gen Z to reach global audiences and gain recognition for their talents without traditional gatekeepers. Immersion in digital culture seems to integrate creative activity into daily life more than previous generations.

Media platforms that didn’t exist a generation prior offer constant creative input and stimulation, creating a fluidity amid a wide variety of art forms, from traditional to the newest cutting-edge trends, and with the market changing into an online market. This is causing traditional markets to embrace and adapt. The projected value of the online art market is expected to reach a staggering $17.76 billion by 2030, driven largely by this generation’s engagement. They are strong and active in reshaping the creative art landscape. That sounds like good news for art, artists, and our creative cultural future.

Janet Sellers is an artist, writer, and speaker, communicating how art matters for our social, cultural, and financial well-being. Contact her at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

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Art Matters – Art curation: We all do it, even with holiday trees and gift wrapping

By Janet Sellers

“Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.”—Claude Monet

How do we choose what we look at, live with, or give as gifts? That process—what feels right, meaningful, beautiful, or joyful—is a form of curation. Whether we’re arranging a holiday tree, selecting a painting for our wall, or wrapping a thoughtful present, we are choosing, organizing, and presenting with intention. That is curation.

Art curation is more than display—it is storytelling through materials and making experiences. It is a thoughtful arrangement that shapes how we feel about our surroundings and how others experience them. A curated space isn’t just decorated; it is expressive, layered, and emotionally resonant.

Art is communication—from maker to viewer and human to human. Every artistic choice—color, shape, texture, word, or sound—carries meaning. A painter choosing between magenta and warm red isn’t just making a visual decision; they are shaping a mood. A poet, a sculptor, a musician does the same, conveying feeling, memory, and connection through deliberate choices. When we choose art to give, or to live with, we participate in that dialogue.

Art changes a room. A space with art feels alive, personal, and engaging—rich with mood, warmth, and identity. It invites reflection, fosters connection, and adds soul to the everyday. A room without art can feel empty or overly neutral—calm perhaps, but lacking presence or character. Art doesn’t just decorate; it elevates. It can bring meaning, emotion, and even joy.

Just as museums design spaces to frame the artwork, we arrange our homes or workplaces in ways that allow our expression to shine. The room is the setting—art is the gem. The purpose of the environment is to support and enhance what we value. A thoughtfully chosen painting, sculpture, textile, or handcrafted object becomes the focal point—the treasure—around which the ambience is shaped.

We curate for comfort, celebration, memory, and belonging. Gift-giving, especially during the holidays, is a deeply human form of curation. We select what expresses our care—something beautiful, meaningful, or handmade. The wrapping, the presentation, even where we place the gift to be discovered—all are part of aesthetic intention. When we do this, we elevate a simple object into an experience.

Art helps create the spirit of a place. It shapes how we feel when we enter, how we remember it, and how we connect with others in it. Whether in a gallery, a living room, or a workspace, art invites feeling, reflection, and often, a sense of well-being.

We may not call ourselves curators, but in the choices we make—the colors we live with, the gifts we give, the stories we share—we are shaping beauty, meaning, and culture for ourselves and share that with others.

Janet Sellers is an artist, art specialist, and public speaker who shares her imaginative approach to art locally and globally. Contact her at JanetSellers@ocn.me.

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