What The Cultivist does

The Cultivist is a privately held, founder-led membership club and creative agency founded in 2015 by Marlies Verhoeven (CEO, formerly VP at Sotheby's) and Daisy Peat. The company operates a dual model: (1) a tiered membership product — The Enthusiast ($440/year), The Club ($2,850/year, application-required), and The Collector ($15,000/year, invitation-only) — that grants members free or priority access to 80+ partner museums worldwide plus exclusive events, concierge travel services, artist dinners, and educational programming; and (2) a B2B Creative Agency that produces brand activations, private art-world experiences, and cultural engagement programs for corporate clients including Capital One, Dior, BMW, Valentino, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Christie's. Members transact through a proprietary mobile app (exhibition listings, maps, concierge booking), a content platform (Cultivist Curated) where non-members can also purchase individual experiences ($385–$6,000+), and direct outreach via the website's application funnel.

The company's revenue is generated through three mechanisms: recurring annual membership subscriptions, transactional experience sales (Experiences, Artist Editions, Group Travel), and project-based professional services fees from corporate agency clients. Geographically, The Cultivist serves members and corporate clients across the U.S., U.K., and continental Europe, with partner museums extending the network into Asia, the Middle East, and Africa; physical offices are maintained in New York (HQ), London (European HQ), Los Angeles, and Dallas. GTM relies primarily on earned media (Vogue, W Magazine, Forbes), high-profile activations during Art Basel Miami, Frieze, NYFW, and Tribeca, and referral-driven member acquisition.

The company's core technology is a mobile-first member platform integrating ticketing, content, and event booking with 80+ museum partnerships; no APIs, SDKs, or AI features are publicly described. Operational delivery is human-curatorial — expert concierges, vetted guides, and event producers — rather than software-automated.

Name

The Cultivist

Legal name

The Cultivist, Inc. (USA) / Cultivist Ltd. (Rest of World)

Website

https://thecultivist.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cultivist is a private, founder-led membership club and creative agency providing UHNW individuals and corporate clients with privileged global access to museums, art fairs, artists' studios, and bespoke cultural experiences across New York, London, Los Angeles, and Dallas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Membership Club

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Cultural Immersion & Heritage Experiences (Local Hosts, Traditions) (THAJALAJ), Travel & Services Membership Clubs (Ancillary Services-Led) (CRAEADAK)

Keywords

• Art membership club
• Museum access cards
• Cultural concierge services
• Art travel experiences
• Creative agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Three-tier annual membership model: The Enthusiast at $440, The Club at $2,850, and The Collector at $15,000. Recurring annual revenue from member renewals.
2. Experiences: Individual experience purchases ranging from $385 to $6,000+, including curated tours, artist studio visits, and exclusive access events. Available to both members and non-members through Cultivist Curated.
3. Creative Agency Services: Brand activation and cultural engagement services for corporate clients including experiential design, artist partnerships, and event production. B2B revenue stream.
4. Group Travel: End-to-end travel services for cultural journeys including itinerary planning, logistics, guest experience, and coordination for international art-focused trips.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Executive memberships and white-label services for corporate partners seeking cultural engagement capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cultivist operates a global membership-based art club that gives individuals privileged access to 80+ partner museums, art fairs, exclusive events, private tours, artist studio visits, and curated cultural experiences worldwide. It complements its consumer memberships with a B2B Creative Agency that designs and produces cultural activations, brand experiences, and art-world programming for luxury and corporate clients. The company also sells bookable Cultivist Curated experiences to non-members and offers curated group travel for cultural journeys.

Product overview

The Cultivist is a dual-offering company combining a membership-based art club and a creative agency. The membership tiers include The Enthusiast ($440 annual), The Club ($2,850 annual, application-required), and The Collector ($15,000, invitation-only), which together provide access to 100+ museums worldwide, exclusive events, concierge services, curated travel, educational courses via Cultivist Academy, and the Cultivist mobile app. The companion Cultivist Curated content platform offers stories and editorial, while Artist Editions provides limited edition artworks as member gifts. The Creative Agency arm delivers brand activations, cultural events, and experiential marketing for corporate clients, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and London.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cultivist App: The Cultivist mobile application providing members with exhibition listings, exclusive news and insights, art concierge booking, event RSVP, and travel expert functionality.
• The Enthusiast
• The Club
• The Collector
• The Enthusiast
• The Club
• The Collector
• Cultivist Agency

Products and services

• The Enthusiast
• The Club
• The Collector
• Corporate Membership
• Cultivist Curated
• Experiences
• Group Travel
• Cultivist Academy
• Creative Agency Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Free museum entry to 80+ institutions for members and guests
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Capital OneflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Long-standing strategic partnership for Art Week activations. Capital One and The Cultivist collaborate on annual Miami Art Week experiences including Mirage Factory (Alex Prager 2025), The Dollhouse (Anna Weyant, NYFW 2025), Dar 1446 (Hassan Hajjaj, 2024), and Snow Beach Frozen Treats (Alex Israel, 2023). Partnership provides Capital One cardholder access to exclusive Cultivist events.
• Anna WeyantcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Artist collaboration on The Dollhouse installation during New York Fashion Week 2025. Featured Marc Jacobs archival couture, public exhibition, dinners by Michelin Chef Dominique Crenn, and performance by Suki Waterhouse. Generated 8 feature stories in Vogue, ELLE Decor, and Harper's Bazaar.
• Alex PragercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Artist collaboration for Mirage Factory multi-day Art Week Miami 2025 installation featuring commissioned artwork, dinners by Michelin Chef Dave Beran, and performances from Diana Ross and Ellie Goulding. Also collaborated on Mirage Swim Club activation at The Shelborne.
• Van Cleef & ArpelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Exclusive private Colosseum experience for 20 guests with bespoke sunset tour led by curator and cultural ambassador, delivered with five-day turnaround.
• BMWcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BMW Basel Art Car 50th Anniversary event during Art Basel featuring collaborating artist Alvaro Barrington and dinner by Michelin-starred chef Heiko Nieder, bridging automotive heritage and contemporary art.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025FROST project with artist Maggie West featuring immersive celebration for 60 guests with roundtables, panel discussions with tech industry leaders, and seated dinner within LED art installation.
• Reiner HolzemerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025World premiere of AKRIS documentary at 24th Tribeca Film Festival, finalist of 2025 Tribeca X Award, with exclusive screening and panel discussion.
• Hassan HajjajcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Dar 1446 multi-day Art Week Miami 2024 takeover featuring tea salon, exhibition, and dinners by Michelin Chef Rose Previte, with performances from Kaytranada, Anderson .Paak, Shaboozey, and Yusef Dayes. Also collaborated on Marrakech insider trip for members.
• Athena CalderoneminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Home Ec. exclusive day of culinary and hosting workshops inaugurating Athena Calderone's The Atelier creative sanctuary, produced by The Cultivist.
• Bella Union / Far NienteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Developed Bella Union's Artist in Residence program from concept to execution, featuring Harold Mendez and Eduardo Sarabia, fostering engagement with Napa's winemaking legacy.
• Christie'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury auction house featured among agency clients for cultural engagement programming.
• DiorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury fashion house featured among agency clients for cultural engagement programming.
• ValentinominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury fashion brand featured among agency clients for cultural engagement programming.
• Brunello CucinelliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury fashion brand featured among agency clients for cultural engagement programming.
• 80+ Global MuseumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum partnerships providing Cultivist members with free entry, priority access, and exclusive experiences. Includes LACMA, Guggenheim, MoMA, Musée d'Orsay, Royal Academy of Arts, Tate Modern, and many more world-class institutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Soho House: Global membership-based club operator with a focus on creative industries, hospitality, and cultural programming. Comparable paid-membership model serving tastemakers, though hospitality-led rather than art-focused.
• Ten Group: Established global lifestyle management and concierge firm serving UHNW individuals and corporate clients. Comparable in serving the same affluent customer base with cultural and travel concierge services, though broader in scope beyond art.
• Sotheby's Preferred: Auction house's patron/membership program, run by The Cultivist's co-founders before they launched the company. Provides similar art-world access privileges and is the most direct historical analog to Cultivist's Global Museum Card and auction benefits.

Emerging players

• Avant Arte: Members-based platform offering limited-edition artworks, artist collaborations, and exclusive cultural experiences. Closely comparable on the artist-edition, membership, and cultural-experience dimensions of The Cultivist's offering.
• Masterworks: Art-investment platform enabling fractional ownership of blue-chip artworks. Targets a similar UHNW and aspirational collector segment with art-world access, though the core product is investment rather than cultural experiences.
• Artsy: Online art marketplace and editorial platform connecting collectors with galleries and auction houses. Comparable in serving the art collector audience with curation and access tools, though a marketplace rather than a membership club.

Direct peers

• Quintessentially: Global luxury lifestyle and concierge membership club offering 24/7 access to events, travel, and cultural experiences. Most directly comparable to The Cultivist as a paid membership providing privileged cultural and lifestyle access to a UHNW audience.
• Velocity Black: Members-only digital concierge and lifestyle app for UHNW users providing on-demand access to experiences, travel, and cultural events. Comparable subscription-based luxury access model targeting a similar wealthy, experience-driven demographic.

Others

• Artlogic: Provider of gallery management software, website platforms, and inventory tools to art dealers. Adjacent ecosystem enabler serving the same art-world institutions (galleries, museums) that partner with The Cultivist.
• Tiqets: Online ticketing platform for museums and attractions, listed as an affiliate/integration partner of The Cultivist. Adjacent infrastructure provider enabling Cultivist members to book tickets at non-partner institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thecultivist
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCultivist55

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cultivist