Contemporary Artists

What Contemporary Artists does

Contemporary Artists is a privately-held, UK-based online art marketplace founded in 2014 that operates a WordPress-based classifieds-style platform connecting independent visual artists with art buyers. The platform is organized around 21 categories (Abstract, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photography, Sculpture, and others) and hosts hundreds of individual artwork listings submitted by artists from the UK, Greece, the US, Ireland, Russia, Bulgaria, and other countries. The company is run as an artist-led community and has been actively operating for approximately 10 years, as evidenced by a 2024 decade-anniversary milestone.

The platform's core product is a free listing and self-serve marketplace: artists register, create their own listings, set their own prices, and transact directly with buyers. Contemporary Artists does not charge commissions, listing fees, or subscriptions, and artists retain 100% of sale proceeds. Distribution is driven by organic website traffic, featured-artist sections on the homepage, and social media promotion across major channels at no cost to artists. The technology stack is WordPress-based with no APIs, mobile app, AI features, or disclosed integrations.

The business model is described as freemium, but no paid tier, subscription, advertising product, or transaction fee is documented in the source material. With 1-10 employees, no disclosed funding, no named institutional investors, and no patent, trademark, or certification portfolio, the operation appears to be a passion-driven community project rather than a venture-backed business. There are no partnerships, alliances, regulatory actions, M&A activity, or leadership changes recorded.

Name

Contemporary Artists

Legal name

Contemporary Artists

Website

https://contemporary-artists.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Contemporary Artists is a UK-based, WordPress-built online marketplace founded in 2014 where independent artists list and sell artwork directly to buyers with no platform commission, fees, or subscriptions. The artist-run community serves hundreds of SMB creators globally across 21 art categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Art Marketplace

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920), Art Dealers (45992)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAH

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Online art marketplace
• Commission free art sales
• Contemporary art listings
• Artist community platform
• Direct artist to buyer sales

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Artist Listings: Artists list artwork directly on the platform. The platform does not charge commissions on sales - artists keep 100% of their sales. Revenue model appears to rely on artist engagement and platform traffic rather than transaction fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Contemporary Artists operates a commission-free online marketplace where independent artists list and sell contemporary artwork directly to buyers. The WordPress-based platform spans 21 categories including Abstract, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photography, and Sculpture, with artists retaining 100% of sale proceeds. Buyers can browse 35+ pages of listings with artwork priced from £37 to £5,500 and transact directly with artists without intermediary fees.

Product overview

Contemporary Artists is a commission-free online art community and marketplace where artists can connect, share, and sell their artwork directly to buyers. The platform operates as a classified ad-style marketplace built on WordPress, allowing emerging and established artists to list artwork across 21 categories including Abstract, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photography, and Sculpture. Artists retain 100% of their sales with no platform commission fees. The platform has been operating for over 10 years and supports artists from around the world including the UK, Greece, Russia, Ireland, and the US.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contemporary Artists Platform A WordPress-based online art marketplace where independent artists self-register, create listings across 21 categories (Abstract, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photography, Sculpture, etc.), and sell artwork directly to buyers worldwide with zero platform commissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Artists keep 100% of their sales with no commission

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Artfinder: Online art marketplace connecting independent artists with buyers globally, with a strong UK and European footprint. Directly comparable to Contemporary Artists in offering original art from emerging artists at accessible prices.
• Rise Art: UK-based online art gallery curating contemporary works from emerging and mid-career artists. Comparable to Contemporary Artists in target market and artist profile, with a London-based headquarters.
• Artmajeur: Online art marketplace with thousands of contemporary artists selling original works directly to buyers. Comparable commission-based marketplace model serving European and global artists.
• Saatchi Art: Large online art gallery and marketplace selling original art from hundreds of thousands of artists worldwide. Closest direct competitor to Contemporary Artists with a similar marketplace model, though it charges commissions and offers curated collections.
• Artsper: European online art gallery offering original artworks and limited editions from contemporary artists. Similar marketplace model with comparable audience of emerging collectors.
• Degree Art: UK online art gallery representing emerging artists and recent graduates. Comparable London-rooted marketplace focused on emerging contemporary artists at accessible prices.
• Singulart: Online art gallery featuring curated contemporary artwork from thousands of artists worldwide. Comparable marketplace model with similar artist onboarding flow and price ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Etsy: Mass-market online marketplace that includes a large category of original art from independent sellers. While not art-specialized, it competes for the same buyer pool of affordable original artwork purchases.
• Artnet: Established online art marketplace and auction platform with gallery network and price database. A broader incumbent in the same online art sales space, though focused on higher price tiers and gallery partnerships.

Emerging players

• Redbubble: Online marketplace where independent artists sell prints and products featuring their designs. Adjacent peer serving a similar artist-onboarding model but focused on print-on-demand rather than original artworks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/contemporary-artists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Contemporary Artists