Art Unites
Accomplished international art advisor creates new collective to shed light on Austin's growing art scene
Nick Campbell of Campbell Art Advisory is uniting art aficionados in Austin.
Nick Campbell wants to be your Austin arts guide. The international art advisor recently announced the formation of an Art Collective membership to inspire and help Austinites navigate the expanding art opportunities in Central Texas as well as offer up exclusive, curated experiences, events, and art outings.
The Collective’s mission is to shine a light on Austin's growing and unique art scene while bringing together a community of art lovers, collectors, and like-minded individuals through creative, curated cultural experiences in the Central Texas region and beyond.
“When I first arrived in Austin and started organizing art talks at Soho House,” Campbell said, “I quickly realized that there were a number of people similar to myself, recent imports, who wanted to get involved in the local art scene but needed to know where to begin. It was then that I had my lightbulb moment. I wanted to create a collective of people who could come together and learn more about the city's art scene, meet new people, and become part of a larger community.”
The idea for the collective grew out of the Campbell Art Advisory, which Campbell first created to source world-class contemporary and emerging art for global clientele in late 2021. Before moving to Austin in 2022 to join his Texas fiancée (now wife, actress Kelly Frye) he founded London's Narcissus Arts consultancy, which opened up the art world to a new generation of collectors by specializing in pieces below $12,000. There, Campbell advised clients who might be new to the world of collecting by helping them navigate the often confusing and intimidating art world by finding works in every medium (paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media, sculpture, kinetic, light installations, textile and interactive) to suit a wide range of budgets, styles and spaces.
Today, Campbell Art Advisory helps clients through every stage of their collections, whether it be a private collector, commercial art project, or corporate collection. And now, Campbell is expanding the Art Advisory and introducing the Campbell Art Collective.
There will be two types of memberships: The Local program, priced at $2,500 annually, will provide various events that Campbell has curated over the course of the year in and around Austin; and The Traveler membership, which goes beyond Austin and includes day trips to Houston and San Antonio. The Traveler is an add-on to the Local membership, starting at an additional $300 per trip.
At these events, members will meet the artists, enjoy private tours of their studios, gain exclusive access to exhibition openings, attend behind-the-scenes viewings of galleries and museums, and receive invitations to private and corporate collections. Anticipated 2023 events include a studio visit with Claire Oswalt inside architect Charles Moore’s former residence; a talk with acclaimed rug designer Kyle Bunting; a private tour of the new Eamon Ore Giron show at the Contemporary Austin; and an exploration of Austin’s best public sculptures. Members can expect to enjoy at least eight events per year.
Campbell also provided CultureMap with a sneak peek of other events planned beyond the initial offering:
“At present I am planning something around Big Medium's annual Open Studio Tour, a trip to New York City during auction season, discussing an event with architecture firms around AIA open house tour, as well as additional visits to galleries and collections,” Campbell says. “I've been fortunate enough to create relationships with the amazing artists and creatives behind Austin's art scene, and I want to give others the opportunity to do the same. At every event, I want people to leave feeling inspired by both the event itself and the community we're building together.”
You may want to make sure your passport is up to date; the Campbell Art Collective is even planning some art inspired field trips outside of the U.S., giving The Traveler members an opportunity to experience cultural events from international art fairs like Art Basel to marquee London auctions.
Only members can catch the inaugural event on March 1 at the Westlake Hills residence of artist and collector Sara Carter; sign up at campbellartcollective.com.
