The art world is a changing. Slowly, underground yet profoundly.

The first 1,000 years of the art market was patron-centric. Call it Art 1.0:

The patron – generally the aristocracy or church – owned the artists and ran their lives, wives and commissions. The artist was their decorator, creator and muse. With the collapse of the monarchy and aristocracy through the 1800′s and 1900′s the patron lost his suit.

The last 100 years of the art market’s evolution has been gallerist-centric. Art 2.0:

In the early 1900′s the art dealer or gallerist stepped in to the scene and became the artists patron and promoter. Part collector, curator, dealer and art marketer these gallerists have shaped the commercial art scene since Picasso. They started out as art lovers and supporters and ended up as market makers and retailers.

The artists that the art world anointed, the dealers bought. Art schools, museums and the media helped leading gallerists define their roster of artists and the buyers collections. This dealer-centric era saw top gallery’s shape the game. The artists their tool.

But since Andy Warhol decided to pursue a different path and began selling his art directly from his famous studio, The Factory, the art world has been gradually shifting. Artists like Damien Hirst further developed this trend of artist as entrepreneur. Framing their own destiny. Managing their brand. Commercialising their studio and dictating everything from shows, prices, collections and gallery relations.

The next 100 years will be artist-centic. Art 3.0:

Artist networks will drive the next phase; underground, on the Web and artist-driven. Bringing back the power of many and dusting off the artist collective for the new millenium. But with a kicker. A global collective of artists bound by a digital platform and a desire to make it as a group. A rising tide to lift all ships. Controlling their destiny together. Working and hunting in packs, nurturing their art market. Launching art shows and accessory sales.

Innovating by pioneering the move to online auctions and artist commissioning systems.

Defining the next generation art platform, part MySpace, part iTunes, part Spotify – but for art works and art lovers. Making contemporary and emerging art accessible and affordable to more. Enabling people around the world to buy art and connect with artists direct from their living room – at their iMac.

Cutting out needless middle men. Discovering, curating and surfacing art that would often never be seen outside a local gallery or a hidden studio. Bringing it to the masses. Art 3.0 is the future. Finally.