- Early Bird Tickets Now Open!
Date: 12 Feb 2027
⏰ Panel Discussions: 09:00–17:00 | VIP Reception: 17:00–20:00
📍 Venue: Merchant Taylors’ Hall, 30 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8JB
Legacy
Who holds the power
to shape culture?
Responsibility
Who defines cultural value
and whose interests
does it serve?
Value
What will be the
cultural legacy of our time?
INTRODUCTION
At a defining moment for the cultural sector, questions of ownership, influence, and cultural responsibility have never been more relevant. Who Owns Culture Now brings together leading perspectives to examine who determines cultural value and what legacy we leave.
Bringing together over thirty influential voices from across the international art world, the Summit connects artists, collectors, museum directors, philanthropists, and decision-makers. Through five carefully curated panel discussions, keynote conversations, and opportunities for meaningful exchange, the programme explores the shifting relationship between culture, capital, technology, and the public good.
More than a conference, Who Owns Culture Now is a platform for dialogue, new connections, and long-term cultural collaboration. It creates space for those shaping the future of culture to challenge established perspectives, exchange ideas, and consider how cultural leadership can contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected future.
Agenda
09:00
WELCOME BREAKFAST
Arrival and introductions
09:30
OPENING KEYNOTE
09:45
01 WHO DECIDES WHAT BECOMES CULTURE?
How museums, collectors, markets and institutions shape cultural value, visibility and the stories that define our shared heritage
10:30
02 CULTURE, CAPITAL AND THE PUBLIC GOOD
Exploring how philanthropy, public institutions and private investment work together to shape the future of culture and expand public access
11:30
03 CUSTODIANS OF CULTURE
Philanthropy and the Future of Asian and Middle Eastern Art – examining the role of collectors, foundations and cultural leaders in supporting artistic practice, preserving heritage and strengthening global cultural exchange
11:30
03 CUSTODIANS OF CULTURE
Philanthropy and the Future of Asian and Middle Eastern Art – examining the role of collectors, foundations and cultural leaders in supporting artistic practice, preserving heritage and strengthening global cultural exchange
12:30
LUNCH BREAK
13:30
WORKSHOP & NETWORKING
14:30
04 WHO OWNS DIGITAL CULTURE?
Artists, platforms or data? – exploring how artificial intelligence, digital platforms and emerging technologies are transforming authorship, ownership and cultural value in the digital age
15:30
05 BEYOND THE CANON
Rethinking global collections and cultural narratives – examining how museums, collectors and cultural institutions are reshaping collections and narratives to reflect a more diverse and interconnected world
16:15
CLOSING KEYNOTE
17:00
VIP RECEPTION & NETWORKING
Drinks and canapés
20:00
CLOSE
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
divya sharma
Artist & founder of the Neulinge Collective & The Post-Colonials Collective
Portfolio
Mark Davy
Founder of Future City
LinkedIn
rena neville
Founder & Director, Corinth Consulting LTD; Head of Art Division, FCS Compliance
LinkedIn
Ulrich Schrauth
Curator, Creative Director, and Artist
Portfolio
…With more speakers to be announced soon!
THE VENUE: MERCHANT TAYLORS’ HALL
A historic setting for contemporary conversations.
Located in the heart of the City of London, Merchant Taylors’ Hall is a distinguished Grade II*-listed venue with a history dating back to the 14th century. Combining centuries of heritage with timeless architectural elegance, the Hall provides a distinctive setting for the 2026 Art Voyage Summit.
With its magnificent Great Hall, historic interiors and elegant courtyard, the venue offers an inspiring backdrop for a day of ideas, cultural exchange and meaningful connections.
Address: Merchant Taylors’ Hall, 30 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8JB
Getting Here: Just a three-minute walk from Bank station, with easy access to London’s wider transport network.
Why Join Who Owns Culture Now?
Hear Global Voices
Visionaries and cultural leaders shaping today’s conversations on belonging, ownership, and equity.
Dive Into Bold Panels
Challenging perspectives, sparking dialogue and reimagining how culture is shaped today.
Connect Globally
Forge meaningful relationships with curators, artists, and change-makers from around the world.
Why now?
The cultural landscape is undergoing profound change. Financial pressures, evolving audiences, emerging technologies, and growing calls for greater representation are challenging traditional structures of cultural influence.
As the boundaries between public institutions, private collectors, technology, and cultural investment continue to shift, an important question emerges: who has the power to shape our cultural future, and whose voices are being heard?
About Art Voyage Summit
The Art Voyage Summit is an international platform bringing together influential voices from across the arts and cultural sectors. Through thought-provoking discussions and meaningful networking opportunities, the summit connects artists, collectors, curators, cultural institutions, and decision-makers to explore the ideas shaping the future of culture. Building on the success of its 2025 edition, Art Voyage continues to foster international collaboration, encourage fresh perspectives, and create lasting connections across the cultural landscape.
Look back at Summit 2025
“Art Voyage Biennial set the stage for purposeful conversations and connections, and it delivered. The Echoes of Migration Summit was a day of exploration and exchange – meaningful and refreshingly spirited.”
Erika Loch
Poet and Strategic Advisor for Project(ile)
“The Echoes of Migration Summit was a deeply moving gathering – a space where artists, curators, and cultural leaders came together to discuss what belonging means through contemporary art. As a panelist and trustee, I witnessed stories that reminded me how visibility itself can be an act of care.”
Sylwia Krason
Founder and Director of Contemporary Lynx Magazine
“The topics were relevant and the speakers, world class, while the best connections and conversations happened in the curated gaps throughout the day.”
Lucy Littlewood
Director of the American Museum and Chair of the Board of Trustees at Turner’s House
Feedback from art summit 2025
“Our biggest asset is communication, conversation and dialogue and that presents itself to be inclusive. It’s through artist inclusivity that brings new ideas we don’t know and want to learn from.”
Bengi Ünsal
Founder and Director, AWITA
“Art is about transformation and evolution. It shouldn’t just reproduce tradition, but recontextualise it in our current context.”
Sarah Le Quang Sang
Artist and Curator
“Our body carries language and memory. Migration is a choreography of movement and memory through our bodies.”
Daniella Bianco-Duppen
Artist, Write and Cultural Producer
Stills from the Art Voyage 2025 Summit: Echoes of Migration
Supported By:
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Accessibility. Merchant Taylors’ Hall offers wheelchair access and facilities for guests with reduced mobility.
Language Assistance. We welcome an international audience and aim to accommodate guests who may require language assistance or additional support to participate in the Summit.
Supported Tickets: We are committed to making Who Owns Culture Now accessible and welcoming to a diverse audience and we believe that financial circumstances should not be a barrier to cultural participation. We offer a limited number of supported tickets.
For enquiries, please contact our team in advance.
info@artvoyagebiennial.org.uk +44 7388 061 078
ART VOYAGE / WHO OWNS CULTURE NOW?
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
AND THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
Investing in the Future of Culture
We are delighted and deeply grateful that Who Owns Culture Now? forms part of an ambitious six-month curatorial development programme supported by Arts Council England through National Lottery Project Grants.
This generous support enables Art Voyage to invest in the next generation of cultural professionals, providing ten emerging curators with specialist training, mentorship, paid practical experience, and opportunities to build meaningful international connections.
Beyond bringing together influential voices from across the cultural sector, the Summit reflects our wider commitment to nurturing talent, encouraging new perspectives, and creating lasting opportunities for future cultural leaders.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Arts Council England and National Lottery players, whose generous support is helping us create meaningful opportunities for the next generation of cultural leaders.
Be Part of the Next Generation’s Journey
Help emerging artists, curators and cultural professionals who may otherwise be unable to attend the Summit. When booking your ticket, you can select ‘Support an Emerging Voice’ to make an additional contribution towards subsidised or complimentary places, giving emerging voices the opportunity to take part in inspiring discussions, connect with cultural leaders and build meaningful professional relationships.
Every contribution makes a difference.
Join us!
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.