As the global art market contracts and the luxury sector falters, a
new initiative is re-imagining what collecting can look like. Hypha Curates, launching 14 October
2025 during London’s Frieze Week, is a purpose-driven online art sales platform that’s designed to
open the doors of collecting to wider audiences and directly support UK artists. The platform has
been launched by arts charity Hypha Studios.
According to recent reports, global art sales fell 12% in 2024 to $57.5 billion, with the UK market
down 5% year-on-year1
, mirroring struggles in luxury goods where even major brands report slowing
demand. At the same time, the next generation of buyers is looking for transparency, affordability,
and social impact, qualities the traditional art market often lacks.
Hypha Curates offers exactly that. Unlike galleries where artists typically receive 30–50% of sales, the
platform gives 70% directly to artists. The remaining 30% funds Hypha Studios’ charitable work,
which has already provided free studio and exhibition spaces for over 2,100 artists in 64 UK locations
since 2021.
Camilla Cole, Founder & CEO of Hypha Studios, says:“Collecting art should not be reserved for the
ultra-wealthy, with Hypha Curates, we’re making it possible for people to buy original work at
accessible prices, support local artists, and know their purchase is also strengthening the UK’s
cultural ecosystem. It’s collecting with purpose.
”
Hypha Curates will feature a broad range of artwork across mediums and price points, with artwork
ranging from £200 to £5,000, giving first-time buyers the chance to start their collection while
allowing seasoned collectors to discover new talent. Buyers can search by budget, material, or even
by artist’s location, making it easy to support their local creative community.
The platform launches with A Moveable Feast, a curated exhibition of 40+ artists selected by
renowned curator and philanthropist, Cathy Wills. The show will run 15–19 October 2025, with a
private view on 14 October at Hypha HQ, Euston. All works will be available to purchase directly via
Hypha Curates.
Cathy Wills says: “For me, curating this exhibition has been about creating a living conversation. Each
work, whether chosen for its beauty or its intrigue, brings something vital. Like a moveable feast, the
experience isn’t fixed—it evolves with the audience, with the cultural moment, with the dialogue
between the works themselves. That creation of meaning, and culture, through sociality is what
excites me most about contemporary art and visual culture more broadly.
”
With a digital audience of over 1 million annual engagements, Hypha Curates is poised to launch the
UK’s most accessible entry point into collecting, transforming the act of buying art from a luxury
purchase into a civic and cultural contribution.