The Collective talks to Patrick McCrae, CEO of ARTIQ – the international art agency that connects clients with the cultural world, curating collections and experiences. ARTIQ creates more opportunities for artists, more art experiences for people, and is fostering a sustainable art economy in which creatives can grow and thrive.
What’s keeping you busy?
My team and I are currently busy recruiting! We are expanding our team to build capacity for our ambitious growth plans and continue to deliver the best possible service for our clients and artists. It’s also graduation season; our creative teams are ever-busy discovering and mentoring the next generation of talent.
What new ideas or opportunities will become part of your future business fabric?
Our core business is art subscription. It’s a pretty novel idea that businesses can have an ever-changing art collection and use it to engage their teams and clients for a fraction of the cost of buying. On the other side of that equation are the artists; by leasing their art they generate a regular income while remaining in ownership of the work, expanding the possible income streams. We’re currently working in 23 countries around the world and have big plans to expand that!
What are the biggest challenges you are facing right now?
I probably have to say growing pains. We were lucky to emerge strong after the tumultuous pandemic years and doubled the size of our team in 2022. We’re a superbly ambitious team driven by the desire to bring sustainable income to artists the world over. We’re currently embarking on a huge tech project to modernise our project execution and delivery, ensuring information is transparent and communication amongst our growing team efficient.
Is there anything you know now that you’d wish you’d known at the start of your career?
Honestly, I was 21 when I started the company, so everything?
Who have been your most important professional mentors/influencers?
I’m incredibly fortunate to have two incredible parents as inspiration: on the one hand, my mother, who’s an artist and has kept me true to our core mission of paying fairly for creativity, and my father, who has himself run businesses and held CFO positions for global companies.
I also read the ‘Four Hour Work Week’ when I started Artiq, which has some really smart lessons in it.
What keeps you motivated?
My impact.
What inspires you?
(Perhaps unsurprisingly) the boundless creativity of humanity and our ability to capture a generation in a few bars, life in a few stanzas or an entire movement on a canvas.
What has required the most courage of you in your life so far?
It was just after the pandemic; we’d weathered the storm. The team was smaller and tight-knit after dealing with so much uncertainty; we were safe. But we wanted to grow bigger than ever before. It was a gamble, of course, and it took nerve as we tried to recruit, retain, and expand. Two years out from the pandemic, I’m proud to say it’s working well.
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