WHO OWNS CULTURE NOW? Summit 2026
Location: London (Venue TBD)
Date: 8th – 9th October 2026
Stay tuned – more information coming soon!
Art Voyage Biennial is proud to present its second annual summit: Who Owns Culture Now?
Positioned at the intersection of culture, policy, and investment, the summit brings together a curated network of cultural leaders, policymakers, philanthropists, collectors, and investors.
Art Voyage Summit offers a platform for strategic dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and high-level exchange. It exploreS how power, ownership, and responsibility are shaping today’s cultural landscape.
Join us — your support makes this summit possible!
Key Details :
- Doors open at 8:30 am — arrive early and make the most of the day.
An immersive two day programme featuring:
10 dynamic panel discussions with 40+ international speakers + audience Q&A
Opportunities to connect and network throughout the day, including our new roundtable programme
Breaks & refreshments are scheduled across the programme to recharge and mingle for all ticket holders.
Networking lunch is exclusive to VIP tickets. All ticket holders also have full access to the full venues and its amenities.
Accessibility: The venue will be fully accessible, including wheelchair and low-mobility access.
Additional support: If you need a translator or special assistance, please let us know in advance — we’ll be happy to help and ensure you have a remarkable experience!
Community access: If you would like to join but are unable to afford a ticket, please contact us before 1 October — we’ll do our best to support your participation.
Contact us : +44 7388 061 078 info@artvoyagebiennial.org.uk
Who owns Culture Now? summit 2026
BuildS on the success of the 2025 Echoes of Migration summit, awarded funding by Art Council England National Lottery, held at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), London.
The 2026 programme expands into a two-day international gathering featuring 40+ speakers across 10 panels.
SUMMIT AGENDA
Day 1 – 8th november 2026
MORNING
09:00 Welcome reception: Registration, tea/coffee and networking
09:30 Keynote by Dr Sophie Kazan (Summit Chair)
09:45 Panel 1 – Who Decides What Becomes Culture?
This opening conversation sets the tone for the summit by examining who has the authority to define cultural value. From museums and curators to collectors, advisors and platforms, the panel explores how decisions are made, legitimised, and circulated and whose voices are excluded from these processes.
10:30 Panel 2 – Is the Global Art Markey Broken or Working Exactly as Designed?
This panel interrogates the structures of the global art market, questioning whether inequality, speculation and precarity are flaws or features. It looks at market concentration, new global hubs, and the often invisible labour that sustains cultural economies.
11:20 Short break – Tea/coffee and networking
MIDDAY
11:45 Panel 3 – When Private Money Writes Public History
As private wealth increasingly shapes public institutions, this panel examines the ethical implications of donor influence, long-term loans, naming rights, and governance. What happens to public trust when cultural narratives are shaped by private interests?
12:30 Lunch break
AFTERNOON
13:30 Networking Round Tables
14:30 Panel 4 – Cultural Gatekeeping Is a Job
Control over exhibitions, funding, and media visibility.
Taste does not emerge naturally, it is produced. This panel examines the professional roles that shape visibility and legitimacy, and the responsibilities that come with cultural authority.
15:15 Short break – Tea/coffee and networking
15:30 Panel 5 – The Asian Narrative: Who Frames Culture in a Global Art World?
Examines how narratives of Asian and Middle Eastern art are shaped within global institutions and curatorial platforms.
16:15 Day 1 Closing speech by Dr Sophie Kazan
EVENING
16:25 VIP Reception – Cultural Highlights, Drinks & Networking (VIP access only)
19:00 Closing
Day 2 – 9th November 2026
MORNING
09:00 Day 2 – Welcome reception: Registration, tea/coffee and networking
09:30 Keynote by Dr Sophie Kazan (Summit Chair)
09:45 Panel 1 – Who Owns Digital Culture ?
Examining Digital platforms, AI and algorithmic visibility in the cultural economy.
10:30 Panel 2 – When Philanthropy Replaces the State
The growing role of private foundations and collectors in sustaining artistic ecosystems.
11:20 Short break – Tea/coffee and networking
MIDDAY
11:45 Panel 3 – Who Gets To be Sustainable in the Art Market?
Environmental, Financial, and Ethical Sustainability in cultural production.
12:30 Lunch break
AFTERNOON
13:30 Networking Round Tables
14:30 Panel 4 – Restitution Is Not a Trend
Ownership, repatriation, and ethical responsibility.
Moving beyond symbolic gestures, this panel asks what restitution truly requires. Who decides the terms of return? What infrastructures, resources and responsibilities follow? And how can institutions move from ownership to accountability?
15:15 Short break – Tea/coffee and networking
15:30 Panel 5 – Custodians of Culture: Philanthropy and the Future of Asian and Middle Eastern Art
Philanthropy and the future of Asian and Middle Eastern art.
Exploring how foundations, collectors, and patrons sustain artistic practise in Asia, Middle East and its diaspora.
16:15 Closing speech by Tima Jam
EVENING
16:25 VIP Reception – Cultural Highlights, Drinks & Networking (VIP access only)
19:00 Closing
Meet our summit Chair
Dr Sophie Kazan
Academic and Art Writer
Dr Sophie Kazan is an Honorary Fellow of the School of Museum Studies at Leicester University and contributes to art magazines and journals across the UK and Middle East. Her research focus is the art and culture of countries in the Global South. Dr Kazan’s focus and passion is stripping away the ‘gatekeeping’ of the art world, using her experience as a consultant and author to foster cultural understanding and ensuring that the power of visual culture is accessible to everyone, becoming a bridge to wider thought.
meet our speakers
Dr.Shwetal Ashvin patel
Writer, Researcher and Founding Member of Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Dr. Shwetal Ashvin Patel is a writer and researcher working at the intersection of contemporary visual art, exhibition-making, and development studies. A founding member of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2012), he played a key role in launching the initiative and building its international partnerships. He holds a practice-based PhD from the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, and lectures internationally at institutions such as the Zürich University of the Arts, the Royal College of Art, and the University of Exeter. He also serves as trustee for the Milton Keynes Museum, Coventry Biennial, and the Kakar Centre of Psychoanalysis & Culture.
Ulrich Schrauth
Curator, Creative Director, and Artist
Ulrich Schrauth is a curator, artist, and creative director of UBS Digital Art Museum in Hamburg. Schrauth is also the founder of VRHAM! Biennale, shaping new ways of presenting and experiencing digital Art. Working between Hamburg and London, he also heads the Immersive Programme at the British Film Institute (BFI) and serves on the British Council’s Advisory Board for Arts and Creative Economy. In addition, he curates the digital section of Art Dubai, the premier international art fair for digital media. Ulrich is a jury member for prestigious awards such as the Lumen Prize and the Fedora Digital Art Prize, and is a regular speaker at major events including the Venice Biennale, SXSW, and the Cannes Film Festival.
Sigrid Kirk
Curator, Cultural Strategist, Co-Founder of AWITA
Sigrid Kirk is a curator, adviser, and strategist who co-founded the Association of Women in the Arts (AWITA) in 2016. AWITA brings together women working across the arts sector through mentoring, collaboration, and a shared community. In addition, each year Kirk and her husband collaborate with Te Tuhi Gallery in Auckland to help fund an artist residency at Yorkshire Sculpture Park for Maori and Pacific Island artists. The couple are also patrons of Dundee Contemporary Arts and Fruitmarket Gallery in Scotland, as well as the London art spaces Gasworks, Studio Voltaire, Iniva, and Goldsmiths CCA.
jeffrey boloten
Co-Founder of ArtInsight & Director of Art Business and Enterprise Programmes
Jeffrey is Director of Art Business and Enterprise Programs at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. He co-founded and serves as Managing Director of ArtInsight Ltd., the educational partner of art market research firm ArtTactic. With a background in law, publishing (including Penguin Books), and institutional roles at the Tate and a London art college, Jeffrey is a frequent speaker on the global art, photography, and art investment markets. He also co-directs Sotheby’s Enterprise Studio and is a founding member of PAIAM (Professional Advisors to the International Art Market).
daniela bianco-duppen
Art Advisor
Daniela is an art advisor with over 17 years of experience in fine art sales and collection management, specialising in pop art prints and contemporary artworks. She has worked with Artsy Private Sales and galleries across Milan, London, and Brussels, and curates online exhibitions and content through her blog The Blonde Art Dealer and the podcast Secrets of the Art Business. Daniela’s mission is to connect art lovers with artists, making the art world more transparent, accessible, and inclusive.
jonathan burton
CEO of Cockpit Studios
Jonathan is a cultural leader specialising in fine art and craft, serving as CEO of Cockpit Studios. He has extensive experience in arts and culture, having led marketing at English National Opera and Tate, overseeing campaigns for major exhibitions including Olafur Eliasson’s The Weather Project and retrospectives for Bridget Riley and Barnett Newman. Jonathan has also held senior management roles as Director of London Art Fair and Managing Director of London Craft Week.
chimere cisse
Founder of Cissé
Chimere is an art collector and founder with over a decade of experience in the cultural sector. She launched ArtKōrero in 2021 to connect commercial engagement with the arts and recently founded STELLA Alliance to increase the visibility of women art collectors. Previously, she represented the United Nations International Trade Centre and held senior roles at Burberry, Hearst UK, Harper’s Bazaar, and ELLE. Dedicated to philanthropy, she actively supports global charities including the British Council and Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation, where she is a long-standing committee chair.
mark davy
Founder of Future City
Mark is the founder of Futurecity, a multidisciplinary agency dedicated to culture-driven placemaking. He has led private sector investment in major art projects including the Crossrail Culture Line, the Illuminated River Project, and the cultural strategy for Wembley Park. Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and contributes to several boards and panels, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Advisory Panel, Hypha Studios, the Land Economic Society, the NLA Expert Panel for Culture, and the National Trust Regional Advisory Group.
sylwia krason
founder and Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Lynx Magazine
Sylwia is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Lynx Magazine, an international arts publication and organisation based in London. Since 2013, she has connected bold artistic voices with global audiences, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and emerging markets. She is also President of the Contemporary Lynx Foundation in Warsaw and regularly serves as a juror and panel moderator at major international art events, including Art Basel. Trained in art history and arts management in Kraków, Berlin, and London, she is currently based in Paris.
sarah le quang sang
Founder of SLQS Gallery
Sarah is a London-based gallerist and artist, founder of SLQS Gallery, which champions intergenerational women and queer artists. With a background in business, theatre, and performance making, she co-directed the Procreate Project, supporting artist mothers and curating initiatives like the Mother Art Prize. Her work is driven by inclusivity, resilience, and creating spaces where diverse artists can express their multiple roles freely and safely.
rena neville
Founder & Director, Corinth Consulting Ltd; Head of Art Division, FCS Compliance
Rena is Director of Corinth Consulting Ltd and Head of FCS Compliance Art Division. With over 30 years at Sotheby’s, she was the company’s first Global Compliance Director and previously served as European General Counsel and Global Head of Litigation. Today, she advises the art market on anti-money laundering compliance and is a frequent speaker on the subject, including recent talks at Harvard Law School and the Art Business Conference in Maastricht during TEFAF.
marta orsola sironi
co-founder and curator of MEGA Art Fair
Marta is a curator and critic based between Milan and London. She is co-founder and curator of MEGA Art Fair, which reimagines the art fair as an immersive, curated experience activating regenerated urban spaces with exhibitions, performances, talks, and music. Together with Mauro Mattei, she co-directs BeAdvisors Art Department, producing curated shows, cultural events, and collectors’ programmes across international art calendars. Her research focuses on decolonial feminism, identity, language, and memory, with a strong interest in urban space as a site of dialogue and resistance.
anders petterson
Founder of ArtTactic
Anders is the founder and CEO of ArtTactic Ltd, a London-based art market research and analysis company established in 2001. A pioneer in using crowd-sourcing techniques to gather art market intelligence, ArtTactic publishes global reports in collaboration with partners including Deloitte, Hiscox, Mishcon de Reya, Sophie Macpherson SML, and Sotheby’s. Anders regularly lectures on art market topics at Sotheby’s Institute, Christie’s Education, and ESA Beirut, and served as a founding board member of PAIAM from 2011 to 2021.
bengi ünsal
Director of ICA
Bengi is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, leading a new era of multi-arts programming that bridges underground and mainstream culture. With over 25 years’ international experience, she previously served as Head of Music at Southbank Centre and as Artistic Director of Salon IKSV in Istanbul. Her artist-centred vision challenges curatorial boundaries and positions the ICA as an inclusive hub shaping the future of arts and culture in the UK.
Daniel Etherton
Founder of Retaj Engineering & Consulting Co. & associate director at creative giants
Daniel Etherton is Associate Director at Creative Giants, an arts consultancy and creative production studio working across contemporary art, culture and public engagement. With a background spanning cultural partnerships, creative production and artist development, including previous experience at Christie’s, he has helped deliver projects that connect artists, institutions and audiences in innovative ways. Passionate about cultural leadership and supporting emerging talent, Daniel advocates for more accessible, collaborative and sustainable pathways for the next generation of artists.
ekow eshun
chairman of fourth Plinth & creative director of Calvert 22 foundation
Ekow Eshun is a writer, curator and broadcaster, and one of the UK’s leading voices in contemporary culture. A former Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), he has played a pivotal role in shaping conversations around art, identity and public space. Through acclaimed exhibitions, books and cultural projects, including In the Black Fantastic and The Time Is Always Now, he continues to champion more inclusive and globally connected perspectives on contemporary art and culture.
roxane zand
ZandFineArts Consultancy
Roxane is a Harvard and Oxford educated specialist in Middle Eastern art and culture. After three years at UNESCO and roles at the Iran Heritage Foundation and Asia House, she joined Sotheby’s in 2006 as Director for the Middle East and Gulf, rising to Deputy Chairman and Senior Director—before stepping down in 2020 to lead her own art advisory consultancy. She continues to serve as Arts Editor for the Encyclopaedia Islamica, advises through the Pictet Art Prize Advisory Council, and has authored several publications, including Geometry and Art: In the Modern Middle East.
Leo Crane
producer, advisor, artist
Leo Crane is a producer, artist and educator with over 25 years of experience across physical and digital creative industries. He has founded three creative studios and, in 2024, established the AI Film Academy, focusing on innovation in contemporary moving image practice. He leads courses in art and art business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and serves on the board of Animate Projects. His artistic practice spans animated film, figurative painting and experimental digital works, and his work has been widely exhibited, screened and awarded internationally. He is currently producing his debut feature film The Masterpiece of Tamagata, and is the author of Contemporary Figures in Watercolour (2021).
divya sharma
artist & founder of the neulinge collective & the post colonials collective
Divya is a London-based British Indian textile artist and an alumna of the Royal College of Art, London. Her practice brings together myth, memory, and the cultural world of her mother tongue, Tamil. She was recently awarded the Visual Artists Association International Scholarship Award for 2025. She has conceived and curated five shows as founder of The Neulinge Collective and the Post-Colonials Collective. She is also the founder and host of the ARTiculate podcast and broadcasts on Apple Podcasts.
Lucy littlewood
chair of turner’s house
Lucy Littlewood is a cultural leader and museum director with extensive experience across the UK arts and heritage sector. She has held senior roles at institutions including the Museum of the Home, St Martin-in-the-Fields and the British Council, and is Chair of Turner’s House Trust. Known for her strategic approach to audience development and cross-sector partnerships, she has also led innovative programmes exploring social impact, inclusion and community engagement within cultural organisations. Lucy brings deep expertise in shaping museum practice and cultural strategy, with a focus on making heritage and the arts more relevant, accessible and socially engaged.
andy ash
artists and associate professor of ucl institute of education
Andy Ash is an artist, researcher and educator whose interdisciplinary practice spans sculpture, performance, film and socially engaged art. An Associate Professor at UCL’s Institute of Education, he has spent more than two decades working across higher education, artistic research and cultural partnerships, collaborating with organisations including Tate Exchange, Tate Britain and the ICA. His work explores the power of collaboration, dialogue and creative learning, bringing valuable insight into how cultural institutions can nurture emerging artists and build more connected and inclusive creative ecosystems.
emilia de stasio
co-founder and coo of artscapy
Emilia is a Co-Founder and COO of Artscapy, an award-winning art investment platform transforming how people collect, manage and invest in art. A CFA charterholder with a background in economics, venture capital and financial analysis at institutions including the European Central Bank and Moody’s, she is passionate about making the art world more accessible, transparent and data-driven. Her work sits at the intersection of art, technology and finance, creating new opportunities for collectors, artists and the future of cultural ecosystems.
Olga brzezińska
Director of adama mickiewicz institute
Olga is Deputy Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, where she leads international cultural programming and strategic initiatives that promote Polish culture worldwide. She is also Programme Director of Leadership Academy for Poland, co-founder of the City of Literature Foundation and a driving force behind initiatives that strengthen collaboration between culture, education and civil society. With extensive experience developing international partnerships and supporting cultural innovation, Olga brings a unique perspective on cultural leadership, creative diplomacy and building sustainable opportunities for the next generation of artists and cultural practitioners.
Joe Kennedy
Cofounder of unit london
Joe studied psychology in Manchester and later worked in advertising at Leo Burnett. He founded Unit with his childhood friend Jonny Burt with the mission is to identify and maximise the reach and impact of gifted artists by engaging new audiences and increasing accessibility to their work. The gallery seeks to preserve the artist’s essential role as the flag-bearer of creativity in our future. Headquartered in Mayfair, London, the gallery has been responsible for developing the careers of numerous important international contemporary artists.
prof. dr. Marcus graf
art curator and writer
Marcus received his PhD in 2010 from the Institute of Contemporary Art History, Aesthetic and Art Theory at Stuttgart Art Academy in Germany. In 2017, Graf became Professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory at the Fine Art Faculty at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, where he has taught since 2003. He is currently the head of the Arts and Cultural Department.. He has been the curator of over 100 exhibitions in museum and is the author of numerous books, exhibition catalogs, and publications on contemporary art and artists.
Lulwah al homoud
Founder of LAH Art foundation and isdar
Lulwah is an established international award winning artist who started her career in London after finishing her MA degree in Art from Central Saint Martins and her style became recognized globally. Recipient of the Rawabi Prize (London, 2020) and the Saudi National Award for Visual Arts (2021), she is the founder of LAH Art Foundation and ISDAR, supporting Saudi artists and cultural exchange. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Saudi Art and Design Society and as Deputy at the National Committee for Cultural Activities.
Ali Gürel
Founder and Chairperson of Contemporary Istanbul
Ali is an entrepreneur, cultural leader and founder and chairman of Contemporary Istanbul, one of the region’s leading contemporary art fairs. For over two decades, he has championed Istanbul as a global hub for artistic exchange, bringing together artists, institutions, collectors and international audiences. Working at the intersection of art, culture and urban development, Güreli brings valuable insight into the role of creativity in fostering dialogue, shaping cultural identity and building connections across borders
Paulo Arraiano
Visual artist & Co-founder of Re_Act Contemporary
Portuguese visual artist Paulo Arraiano explores the intersections of art, culture, nature and technology through a multidisciplinary practice spanning installation, public art, painting and immersive experiences. He is also co-founder of Re_Act Contemporary, an international art laboratory and residency programme based in the Azores that fosters dialogue between artists, researchers and communities around pressing ecological, social and cultural issues. Bringing together artistic practice and interdisciplinary exchange, Arraiano offers a distinctive perspective on the role of art in shaping how we understand and engage with a rapidly changing world.
with more Speakers to be Announced soon !
Why Join the Who Owns Culture Now Summit?
Hear global voices — visionaries and cultural leaders shaping today’s conversations on belonging, creativity, and equity.
Dive into bold panels — challenging perspectives, sparking dialogue, and reimagining how art shapes migration, identity, and community.
Experience live storytelling — powerful performances that bring migration journeys to life through music, spoken word, and visual arts.
Connect globally — forge meaningful relationships with curators, artists, and changemakers from around the world.
Supported by :
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Your donation to ‘Who Owns Culture Now?’, is not just supporting a project – you’re joining a movement that celebrates migrant communities, empowers artists, and transforms public spaces into living places of memory, creativity, and pride.
Together, we can make sure every story is seen, heard, and valued!