London Art Trade (LTArt) was founded in 2016 with the aim of offering a diversified art investment service, both online and offline, which could meet the expectations of a new generation of art collectors, and eventually, democratise the art market by reaching a wider audience. In particular, they aim to achieve this through a platform called the Art Exchange. Similar to the stock market, Art Exchange will enable everyone to become a co-owner of high-valued artworks, simply by investing in shares of them according to budget, rather than purchasing them outright. By applying state-of-the-art technologies, such as blockchain and NFTs, their aim is to reduce the technological gap which keeps the art market anchored to traditional trading systems. 

Keen to understand more, we asked Francesca what we can expect from LTArt over the next twelve months how the Art Exchange utilises NFT’s to trade art shares. First up;

What was the inspiration behind developing the Art Exchange?

Combining our expertise in both the art and financial markets both myself and my co-founder, Andrea Seminara, decided to establish LTArt on the assumption that the two industries evolved in a very similar way, with the only difference that the art market lagged behind when it came to technological advancements. LTArt is built on the firm belief that both the art and financial markets can be combined in an inventive and efficient way. 

Considering the increasing hype around online art sales, which amounted to $12.4 billion in 2020, and very recently the NFT investments (whose total value amounted to more than $250M in 2020), we strongly believe the art market is ready for a technological revolution which could finally fully remove existing inefficiencies and make it ultimately easier to invest in art.

How does the Art Exchange actually work?

Inspired by the finance industry, the Art Exchange is very similar to the stock market, in that it allows you to trade art shares and track the performance of your trades.

In terms of the process, we start by splitting the artwork into shares on a primary market (the Pooling Investment section of our website), which are then issued in the Art Exchange, which serves as a secondary market. Multiple users can then buy and sell the art shares. They will receive a digital certificate of co-ownership authenticating each purchase in the form of a unique and irreproducible NFT. The artwork will be stored by a guarantor, which will be LTArt for now (we will manage the artworks), when it is not on display. Each co-owner has the right to display the artwork for the amount of time equivalent to the number of shares owned (i.e. if a co-owner possesses 20% of the shares, then they will be able to hold the artwork for 20% of the year, should they wish to do so) when applicable and if the conservation and maintenance of the work allow it. When the artwork is not held by any of the co-owners, we will then circulate it in the art market, leasing it to galleries and museums as well as organising temporary exhibitions, creating additional dividends for each co-owner and increasing their visibility. Our commitment, in fact, is to make them as usable as possible, eventually creating a permanent open exhibition of our portfolio of artworks. 

How can our clients use the Art Exchange if they’re interested?

In a few weeks’ time, users will be able to purchase the art shares of both physical and digital artworks through NFTs on our site, which they will later be able to trade in the Art Exchange. Currently, they can reserve these on www.londontradeart.co.uk under the Pooling Investment section, which serves as a primary market, on our Artworks page. 

Once they confirm the purchase of the shares, they will receive a digital certificate of co-ownership in the form of an NFT, which guarantees the authenticity and traceability of the trades. We are also thinking of implementing utilities, in order to engage our network of clients and provide them with additional benefits.

In the meantime, we are developing the secondary market, the Art Exchange, where users will be able to sell their shares and buy additional ones, whilst tracking the performance of their trades. Those who have purchased art shares from us in the primary market will automatically be enrolled in the Art Exchange once it is launched. 

What’s next for London Art Trade?

Our first priority is to launch the physical and digital Pooling Investment projects on our site, so that they can be purchased through NFTs. Currently, we already have one project that is live on our site: Lapo Simeoni’s ‘25.000 euro’. Users can already reserve NFTs for this project. 

Following this, we will also be selling a Blue Chip artwork through art shares, so do keep your eyes peeled for more information on this in the next month or so.

Finally, we aim to return to organising physical exhibitions and corporate events in the very near future. Considering the increasing success of the online art market and the new era of digital art, it’s a very exciting moment for projects like ours and we look forward to bringing the next steps of our fractional ownership project to life, in order to allow as many art lovers as possible to transform their passion into a smart Investment.

Require assistance with shipping, installing or storing your art? You can contact the expert team at info@queensfineart.com and we’d be happy to assist.

Mayfair Art Weekend (MAW) was founded in 2014 at a time when art fairs were drawing visitors away from galleries. John Martin of John Martin Gallery is one of the founding directors and at that time explained it best as a way of raising public awareness about “how fundamental the art market is to Mayfair’s heritage and to its future”.  MAW is the perfect opportunity to visit these galleries and experience art in real life.

Keen to find out a little bit more about the weekend, we asked Cherie a few questions. First up;

What can we expect from the weekend this year that is different to previous years?

Galleries will be putting on a fantastic range of talks, tours and events in relation to their exhibitions, but we also have events curated by Mayfair Art Weekend. One of the incredible series of events we are organising is called Access All Areas. I have partnered with Cat Manson at Art Market Mentors and Leo Young at Good Nugget to develop a series of mentoring related events. As the creative industries and broader art world looks to diversify, access remains a challenge. By providing open access events, the Mayfair Art Weekend galleries will provide a welcoming, inviting opportunity to speak to new audiences.

We also introduced two new initiatives in 2020 which were a great success and which we are bringing back this year. The first is the Mayfair Sculpture Trail, a collaboration with Art in Mayfair, which was installed last week! The final day of the trail coincides with the Sunday of Mayfair Art Weekend, 27 June. This trail includes both temporary sculptures installed just for the month as well as permanent sculptures that you can find year-round in Mayfair. We are really excited to present this event for the public to engage with art outdoors and without restrictions.

The second curated event is a “showreel”. This started with a simple concept: to show artist moving image artworks in the comfort of a cinema. I discovered that The May Fair Hotel has an incredible world-class theatre, and we were incredibly lucky that they partnered with us in 2020, and again for the 2021 event. Often with moving image artworks, we catch a few moments of them within a gallery, but audiences rarely sit through an entire artwork. For the May Fair Showreel, visitors will be able to watch a curated reel of artworks. Selected from applications from galleries as well as an open call, the showreel this year is going to be an emotional journey for anyone who sees it!

How has organising the event changed in light of Covid-19?

The beginning of 2021 was very challenging. At the moment we would have normally been interacting with galleries and partners, and developing the programme we were in full lockdown. With many people in the arts industry furloughed and so much uncertainty around re-opening we had to be able to adapt in line with government guidelines. While our focus has always been to support and highlight the incredible art community in Mayfair, now we also needed to ensure audiences could safely and comfortable to re-engage with art.

We have been working to develop year-round engagement with galleries in Mayfair, and the re-opening of galleries provided the perfect opportunity to replicate our Gallery HOP! model across the West End. On 23 April we worked with the galleries in Mayfair, St James’s, Fitzrovia, Soho and Marylebone to present a West End Gallery HOP!, and it was a delight to see so many visitors re-engaging with art after the long winter lockdown. Creating moments like this for people to experience art in real life in a safe way has become central to the way we are planning Mayfair Art Weekend this year.

For galleries looking to hold similar events moving forward, what recommendations can you share?

Over the last 16 months galleries have adapted their programmes to cater for the virtual visitor. There has been digital fatigue, and many people are able and ready to see art in real life, but there are still a lot of people who aren’t able to visit galleries in Mayfair, including international visitors. So my top recommendation would be to continue planning your events in real life but don’t forget about your online audience!

Are there any specific exhibitions that you are particularly looking forward to visiting Mayfair Art Weekend this year?

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to see all of the exhibitions. Because of my desire for every gallery and the artists they show to get as many visitors as possible, I find it really hard to single any out – as soon as I think of one, then another pops into my mind. To name just a few: Tursic & Mille at Galerie Max Hetzler; the next instalment of the “On Hannah Arendt” series at Richard Saltoun Gallery; the Old Master works of Napolean by Andrea Appiani at Robilant+Voena; vibrant works by Martin Finnin at John Martin Gallery; venetian scenes by Melissa McGill at Mazzoleni; the RA Schools Show; Peter Blake at Waddington Custot; the opening exhibition of LAMB at 32 St. Georges Street. I could honestly go on until I’ve named them all! For the second year, the artists studios at 48 Brook Street will also open their doors to visitors for Mayfair Art Weekend which is also a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look!

Interested to visit some of the participating galleries this weekend? Visit www.mayfairartweekend.com to find out more.

It seems like Mayfair Art Weekend has come around so quickly. What can we expect this year?

Yes, it does seem to have come around quickly! In part, I think that is because, since Mayfair Art Weekend in 2021, we have introduced the seasonal West End Gallery HOP! events (coordinated late-night openings for galleries across the West End), so we’ve had the opportunity to encourage people to visit galleries and see exhibitions throughout the whole year.

For 2022 we are able to bring back a full programme of events – tours, talks, workshops, performances – as it is the first time in 3 years that there are no covid restrictions.

We have collaborated with critic and curator Hugh Pilkington to develop a series of tours that look at the ecology of the gallery landscape in Mayfair – and encourage visitors to “talk exhibitions”.

As well as exhibition focussed talks, it is the second year we are presenting our Access All Areas programme – with galleries providing an opportunity for young people to get a behind the scenes introduction to working in the arts. We’ll also be inviting our youngest audiences into the galleries for family activities and workshops – no one is too young to enjoy art and galleries!

Whilst it is the ninth edition of Mayfair Art Weekend, we are excited to present the third editions of the Mayfair Sculpture Trail, a collaboration with Art in Mayfair, and the May Fair Showreel – for which our open call generated almost 100 applications!

For our clients based in and around Mayfair, what’s so different with MAW compared to viewing at a gallery any other time?

We take the thinking out of it for you. Once you pick up our map or programme, you can go into any of the galleries listed and you will be welcome. For Mayfair Art Weekend they all have exhibitions on, so you don’t need to check dates and opening times, just go! Our amazing team of volunteers will also be on hand to help you with directions, and make your gallery experience less intimidating. Gallery staff are on hand to talk to you about their exhibitions and look forward to speaking with visitors.

There are also quite a few galleries which don’t normally open on the weekend, so it is a great opportunity to visit these galleries out of hours. There are also a few project spaces that you can only visit during Mayfair Art Weekend, such as the artist studios at 48 Brook Street, the group show at Grosvenor Chapel, or the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair pop-up on South Molton Street.

Could you tell us a little bit more about the Sculpture trail?

The sculpture trail is a fantastic collaboration between Mayfair Art Weekend, Art in Mayfair and the galleries in the area. Adding to the incredible public art permanently on display across the district, temporary sculptures will appear on Bond Street, Grosvenor Square and Berkeley Square this year.

The Mayfair Sculpture Trail guides the audience across this amazing area of London, taking in both the architectural wonders of the buildings on New Bond Street and the respite of the green squares including: Grosvenor Square, Berkeley Square, and Hanover Square.

How can clients make the most of MAW?

Make a day of it!

From 10 June you’ll find the full events programme on our website, including talks, self-guided trails, workshops, performances, family activities and more. If you are regular visitor to Mayfair, you likely visit some of the more well known galleries – which we would still encourage you do to, such as Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner and Pace Gallery. But to really get the most out of Mayfair Art Weekend, pick one of our trails which will guide you to discover galleries and project spaces you might not know about or have visited before – from Sapling Gallery on Mount Street Mews, to James Hyman Gallery who have just moved back into Mayfair. Then, once you’ve chosen your trail, try to time it to coincide with one of the events!

Enjoying art in Mayfair doesn’t have to cost you anything but, if you feel like treating yourself, book in for lunch in one of the incredible hotel dining rooms, from Charlie’s at Brown’s Hotel, The Cut at 45 Park Lane, the May Fair Kitchen at The May Fair Hotel, or the Colony Grill Room at The Beaumont.

Finally, are you able to share a few of your highlights for MAW this weekend that we should look out for?

This is always the hardest part for me as I want people to see everything. Each gallery has something different to offer. Sculptures both in galleries and outdoors are definitely a highlight this year. As well as the sculptures we’ve mentioned that you’ll find on the Mayfair Sculpture Trail, indoors you will find Billy Apple at The Mayor Gallery, Larry Bell at Hauser & Wirth, Wolf Vostell at Cardi Gallery and Peter Buggenhout at Holtermann Fine Art.

On Dover Street we are excited to see the live performance by Romina de Novellis at Richard Saltoun Gallery. The NFT Gallery will open a few doors down just in time for Mayfair Art Weekend. At Clarendon Fine Art there will be an exhibition of photographs by John Swannell tracing his fashion shots for Vogue. Mazzoleni are presenting an exhibition of Marinella Senatore – the second exhibition since moving into their new 1^st Floor gallery space on Old Bond Street. You’ll also find a monumental installation of the artist’s work at Battersea Power Station!

A wander down Cork Street is always essential, and Waddington Custot are presenting two exhibitions, an exhibition of Hans Hartung in their permanent space, and a pop-up opposite featuring Peter Blake. The Hans Hartung exhibition is particularly interesting as it sort of uncovers a secret. The paintings by Hans Hartung are abstract, and at first glance have no bearing on anything real. However, in this exhibition, the gallery has displayed the paintings alongside photographs taken by the artist and from which he has drawn inspiration. Suddenly the abstract doesn’t seem so unknown!

And of course, don’t miss the RA Summer Exhibition 2022 and the RA Schools Show 2022!

Interested to visit some of the participating galleries this month? Visit www.mayfairartweekend.com to find out more. For all post-sale shipping, art storage or other logistics enquiries, contact info@queensfineart.com.

Over the last decade, the United Arab Emirates has made significant strides in establishing itself as a serious player in the international art market. While it remains a relatively young scene compared to long-established hubs like London, New York, or Paris, the UAE is increasingly viewed as a region to watch—ambitious, fast-developing, and strategically positioned.

At Queen’s, we’ve worked with collectors, institutions, and galleries with connections to the Gulf for many years. With growing demand and more frequent movements in and out of the region, we now have experienced team members on the ground in the UAE to support our clients more directly.

Ambition backed by infrastructure

The UAE’s art ecosystem has been shaped by significant state and private investment. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, open since 2017, marked a turning point in how the country positioned itself culturally—not simply as a collector or host, but as a long-term custodian of global heritage.

That momentum continues. The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is under construction and due to open later in 2025. Art Dubai has matured into a fair of regional importance, drawing galleries from across South Asia, North Africa and the Gulf. Cultural districts like Alserkal Avenue in Dubai are home to serious programming and increasingly well-regarded galleries.

Still, the UAE market remains smaller in scale and volume than traditional centres. It’s not yet a global capital for the secondary market, and institutional collections are still developing. But what the UAE offers is long-term vision, well-funded infrastructure, and a supportive regulatory and logistical environment for cross-border art movement.

A region on the rise

Collectors in the UAE—many of them younger, international, and tech-savvy—are showing a growing appetite for both regional and international contemporary art. There’s also an increased focus on supporting artists from the Gulf and MENA region, which is driving institutional exhibitions and acquisitions across the UAE.

At the same time, major international players are making their presence felt. Sotheby’s recently announced a $1 billion partnership with Abu Dhabi’s ADQ, and blue-chip galleries continue to explore expansion or partnership opportunities in the Gulf.

From a logistics and storage perspective, the region is rapidly improving its capacity and infrastructure—but navigating cross-border movements in and out of freeports and across GCC borders still requires careful planning.

Our presence in the UAE

While the UAE is not yet a central node in the global art market, its importance is growing. For many of our clients, it’s already a regular destination for exhibitions, art fairs, and private collections.

That’s why we’ve taken the step to establish a more formal presence there. With Queen’s employees now operating in the UAE, we can provide better coordination, visibility, and local knowledge—ensuring that even in a developing market, our clients receive the standard of service they expect in London or New York.

If you’re active in the region or planning a project involving the UAE, our team is now available locally to support your logistics needs. Contact us directly at info@queensfineart.com to discuss how we can help.