Commissioner
Commissioner is a Miami-based community art collecting membership organization that uses tiered annual subscriptions ($2,000 Collector and $175 Patron) to commission four contemporary artists per year and distribute limited-edition works exclusively to members, now expanding from Miami to Detroit, Philadelphia, and Charlotte.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMiami, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Commissioner does
Commissioner is a Miami-based, community-led art collecting membership organization founded in 2017 by Dejha Carrington and partners. Through tiered annual subscriptions — a $2,000 Collector membership (capped at 40 per cohort) and a $175 Patron membership — it collectively commissions four contemporary artists per year at pivotal career stages, distributing original and limited-edition artworks exclusively to Collector members alongside studio visits, collector home tours, reveal events, and curated art travel including a Venice Biennale trip.
The organization operates without proprietary technology: its public-facing presence is a Squarespace-hosted website (commissioner.us) plus an Instagram channel (@cmxnr) and email newsletter, with member management and event operations handled manually by a five-person team. Operational and fiscal back-office is supported by fiscal sponsors The Miami Foundation and Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, and curatorial execution is delivered through partnerships with galleries and cultural institutions such as Louis Buhl & Co. (Detroit curation), Locust Projects, YoungArts, and New World School of the Arts.
Commissioner's revenue model combines recurring membership subscriptions, ancillary paid travel experiences, and institutional grant funding from the Knight Foundation, Mitchell Wolfson Sr Foundation, and the Jorge Pérez Family Foundation (via Pérez creARTE). Since founding, more than 800 contributors have participated and over 55 artist commissions have been funded. The organization has expanded from a single Miami base to include Detroit (launched 2022) and announced national expansion to Philadelphia (2027) and Charlotte, NC (2028), supported by a $1,000,000 Knight Foundation investment in June 2026.
Commissioner firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Commissioner
- Legal name
- Commissioner
- Website
- https://commissioner.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Commissioner is a Miami-based community art collecting membership organization that uses tiered annual subscriptions ($2,000 Collector and $175 Patron) to commission four contemporary artists per year and distribute limited-edition works exclusively to members, now expanding from Miami to Detroit, Philadelphia, and Charlotte.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Commissioner industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Art Collecting Services
- NAICS
- Art Dealers (459920), Art Dealers (45992), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN)
Keywords
Where Commissioner is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Miami
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Commissioner business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Collector Membership: Annual subscription at $2,000 (or four payments of $600) providing four limited edition and original artworks per year from commissioned artists, plus access to events, studio visits, and art travel.
- Patron Membership: Annual membership at $175 providing dual access to monthly programming, events, and community benefits.
- Art Travel Programs: Specialized travel experiences (e.g., Venice Biennale trip at $1,200 or three installments of $500) including admissions, tours, and organized transport.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Collector Membership - Full access with four artworks per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron Membership - Dual access to programming |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Venice Biennale Travel Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Commissioner product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Commissioner is a community-led art collecting membership organization that brings together local collectors and contemporary artists. Through annual memberships (Collector at $2,000 and Patron at $175), it collectively commissions four artists per year to create original and limited-edition artworks distributed exclusively to members, alongside curated events, studio visits, collector home tours, and art travel experiences. The model is anchored in Miami, with expansion to Detroit, Philadelphia, and Charlotte.
Product overview
Commissioner is a community membership program that enables locals to collect contemporary art through collaborative patronage. The core offering consists of Collector Membership ($2,000/year) and Patron Membership ($175/year) tiers, which fund quarterly artist commissions (four artists per year) producing original and limited-edition works distributed exclusively to Collector members. The program includes curated art travel, studio visits, collector home tours, and signature reveal events. The company has expanded beyond its Miami origin to include Commissioner Detroit, with planned expansion to Philadelphia and Charlotte.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Collector Membership
- Patron Membership
- Season Artist Commissions
- Art Travel Program
- Venice Biennale Travel Experience
- Commissioner Detroit
Quantifiable outcome
- 55 artist commissions funded since 2018
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Commissioner
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Commissioner technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Commissioner partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.
- PrimarycoreCuratorial partner helping ensure commissioned artists feel free to create unencumbered with dedicated operational support. Deep involvement in artist selection and season programming.
- Locust ProjectscoreWhere Commissioner received its founding $1,500 WaveMaker research and development grant in 2017. Continued collaborative partner in Miami arts ecosystem.
- The Miami FoundationcoreFiscal sponsor providing organizational support and infrastructure for Commissioner.
- Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts IncubatorcoreFiscal sponsor supporting Commissioner's organizational operations.
- Maven Leadership CollectivesupportingIdeas lab that cultivates ecosystems of support for queer and trans innovators and creatives of color. Collaborates on programming and community events.
- Tito's Handmade VodkasupportingSponsor providing in-kind support for events and programming throughout multiple seasons.
- New World School of the ArtssupportingEducational partner providing institutional support, venue access, and connection to emerging artists. Several staff members are NWSA alumni.
- YoungArtssupportingVenue partner providing Frank Gehry-designed gallery and plaza space for artist reveals and community events.
- Art Loft on WPBT-South Florida PBSminorMedia partner for South Florida arts coverage and programming promotion.
- Louis Buhl & Co.coreDetroit-based gallery curating Commissioner Detroit programming and artist selection for the expansion city.
- QUEUE GallerysupportingGallery representing Season Eight artist David Correa. Community partner for artistic programming and venue support.
- Tunnel ProjectssupportingArtist-led program in Little Havana providing studio and exhibition space for commissioned artists.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Commissioner competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Artlogic: Artlogic provides websites, CRM, and inventory management software for galleries and art organizations. While not a direct competitor for collector mindshare, it represents the technology layer that Commissioner lacks and could partner with as it scales membership operations nationally.
- 1stDibs: 1stDibs is a luxury online marketplace featuring fine art, furniture, and jewelry from vetted dealers. It shares Commissioner's audience of affluent collectors seeking curated, vetted acquisition channels, though it is a broad luxury platform rather than an arts-focused membership.
- Artnet: Artnet operates an art marketplace and auction aggregator alongside its industry database. It serves galleries and collectors with price transparency and listings, overlapping with Commissioner on serving active contemporary art collectors, though as infrastructure rather than community.
- MutualArt: MutualArt is an online art information service providing auction results, artist records, and market analytics to collectors. It addresses the same collector research and discovery workflow as Commissioner's curatorial model, though from an information rather than membership angle.
Broad incumbents
- Masterworks: Masterworks is a fintech platform that securitizes shares in blue-chip artworks, targeting collectors and investors seeking curated art exposure. It overlaps with Commissioner on curating contemporary art access for non-traditional collectors, but operates an investment rather than patronage model.
- Saatchi Art: Saatchi Art is a leading online art gallery offering original works and limited editions from emerging artists worldwide. Like Commissioner, it focuses on connecting collectors with contemporary emerging artists through curated discovery, though via a transactional marketplace rather than membership.
- Artsy: Artsy is the largest online art marketplace connecting collectors with galleries, auctions, and artists globally. While far broader in scope than Commissioner, it serves the same art-collector demand and competes for curatorial attention and member mindshare among contemporary art collectors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Commissioner social profiles
Digital presenceCommissioner financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Commissioner leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Commissioner funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Commissioner M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Commissioner
What does Commissioner do?
Commissioner is a community-led art collecting membership organization that brings together local collectors and contemporary artists. Through annual memberships (Collector at $2,000 and Patron at $175), it collectively commissions four artists per year to create original and limited-edition artworks distributed exclusively to members, alongside curated events, studio visits, collector home tours, and art travel experiences. The model is anchored in Miami, with expansion to Detroit, Philadelphia, and Charlotte.
Is Commissioner a public or private company?
Commissioner is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Commissioner founded?
Commissioner was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Commissioner based?
Commissioner is headquartered in Miami, United States, in the North America region.
How does Commissioner make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Collector Membership is the primary driver. The others are patron Membership and art Travel Programs.
Who are Commissioner's main competitors?
Others on record are Artlogic, 1stDibs, Artnet and MutualArt. Broad incumbents are Masterworks, Saatchi Art and Artsy.
Does Commissioner have an API?
No public API is recorded for Commissioner.
What industry is Commissioner in?
Commissioner's product category is Community Art Collecting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAN, Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers. Its NAICS code is 459920 and its SIC code is 7330.