The Arts Trust
The Arts Trust is a Mumbai-based curator, gallerist and auctioneer, founded in 1990 by Vickram Sethi, that hosts exhibitions and auctions of Modern and Contemporary Indian art for art collectors and connoisseurs from its Kala Ghoda gallery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersMumbai, India
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Arts Trust does
The Arts Trust is a Mumbai-based art gallery, curator and auction platform founded in 1990 by Vickram Sethi, operating as a division of Safset Agencies Private Limited. The Trust specializes in Modern and Contemporary Indian art and has produced over 150 exhibitions since inception, featuring works by blue-chip Indian modernists including S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Krishen Khanna, F.N. Souza, Jehangir Sabavala, N.S. Bendre, Anjolie Ela Menon and Bikash Bhattacharjee. Its primary physical venue is the gallery at the ICIA Building in Kala Ghoda, South Mumbai — an established arts district — with secondary contact addresses in the same precinct.
The Trust's product surface consists of curated exhibitions organized into lot pages (e.g., the S.H. Raza "Sojourn" retrospective spanning 350+ lots across multiple web pages), a digital e-catalogue providing artwork metadata (dimensions, medium, year), and paid exhibition publications such as the Krishen Khanna catalogue priced at INR 19,999. The technical stack is a static content-driven website with no disclosed software platform, mobile app, APIs, integrations, or AI/ML components; product functionality is limited to browsing and contacting sales for lot inquiries.
The business model is event-driven: the Trust generates revenue through auctioning artworks and facilitating transactions between sellers (artists, estates, collectors) and buyers (collectors, connoisseurs), supplemented by catalogue sales. Distribution is through the physical Kala Ghoda gallery and the website's e-catalogue channel, targeting a horizontal collector persona segment. Operations are supported by approximately 10 employees, and the company maintains strategic partnerships with AstaGuru Auction House (auction services), the Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (co-located gallery), and artist-affiliated entities such as Krishen Khanna Art LLP and Namtech Fine Art.
The Arts Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Arts Trust
- Legal name
- The Arts Trust (a division of Safset Agencies Private Limited)
- Website
- https://theartstrust.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Arts Trust is a Mumbai-based curator, gallerist and auctioneer, founded in 1990 by Vickram Sethi, that hosts exhibitions and auctions of Modern and Contemporary Indian art for art collectors and connoisseurs from its Kala Ghoda gallery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Arts Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Art Gallery & Auction Services
- NAICS
- Art Dealers (459920)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)
Keywords
Where The Arts Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mumbai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Arts Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Art Auction Services: The Arts Trust generates revenue through auctioning artworks, serving as a platform for buying and selling Indian art. They facilitate transactions between artists/art sellers and collectors/connoisseurs through their curated exhibitions and auction services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Krishen Khanna Catalogue - INR 19,999.00 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels1 record
The Arts Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Arts Trust curates, exhibits, and auctions Modern and Contemporary Indian art from its Kala Ghoda gallery in Mumbai. Since 1990 it has staged over 150 exhibitions featuring artists such as S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Krishen Khanna, F.N. Souza, and Anjolie Ela Menon, and publishes accompanying exhibition catalogues in print and digital formats. It also facilitates auction transactions between artists/art sellers and collectors through its exhibition-led platform.
Product overview
The Arts Trust operates as an art gallery and exhibition platform founded in 1990 by Vickram Sethi, specializing in Modern and Contemporary Indian art. The organization offers two primary services: curated art exhibitions featuring works by renowned Indian artists (including S.H. Raza, Krishen Khanna, C.D. Mistry, M.F. Husain, Anjolie Ela Menon, and others) with over 150 exhibitions conducted, and digital e-catalogues that document artwork details for auction purposes. The exhibitions are held at their Kala Ghoda, Mumbai location, while e-catalogues provide online access to artwork information including dimensions, medium, and provenance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Curated Art Exhibitions Curated physical exhibitions of Modern and Contemporary Indian art featuring works by renowned artists such as S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Krishen Khanna, F.N. Souza, Anjolie Ela Menon, C.D. Mistry, and Bikash Bhattacharjee, hosted at the Kala Ghoda gallery in Mumbai and offered to art collectors and connoisseurs for viewing, acquisition, and auction participation.
- Exhibition Catalogues (Print and E-Catalogue) Print and digital exhibition catalogues documenting artwork lots (including dimensions, medium, year, and provenance) for collectors and connoisseurs of Modern and Contemporary Indian art; the Krishen Khanna catalogue is priced at INR 19,999.00.
Companies that use The Arts Trust
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Arts Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Arts Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Safset Agencies Private LimitedcoreSafset Agencies Private Limited is the parent company of The Arts Trust. The Arts Trust is described as a division of Safset Agencies Private Limited, headquartered at FGP Centre, Commercial Union House, 3rd Floor, 9, Wallace Street, Fort, Mumbai.
- AstaGurumajorAstaGuru Auction House Private Limited is a key partner in association with The Arts Trust for exhibitions and publications. Contact details shared: Verma Chambers, Homji Street, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001. They are involved in conservation services and restoration as part of the exhibition ecosystem.
- Institute of Contemporary Indian ArtmajorICIA (Institute of Contemporary Indian Art) is a gallery partner operating from 22/26 ICIA Building, K. Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai. The Arts Trust gallery is co-located at this facility.
- Krishen Khanna Art LLPminorKrishen Khanna Art LLP is associated with The Arts Trust for specific artist exhibitions and publications, holding copyright for the artist's works in their catalogues.
- Namtech Fine ArtminorNamtech Fine Art is a partner in association with The Arts Trust for the Krishen Khanna exhibition and publication, contributing to the exhibition ecosystem.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Arts Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Arts Trust social profiles
Digital presenceThe Arts Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Arts Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Arts Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Arts Trust 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 The Arts Trust
What does The Arts Trust do?
The Arts Trust curates, exhibits, and auctions Modern and Contemporary Indian art from its Kala Ghoda gallery in Mumbai. Since 1990 it has staged over 150 exhibitions featuring artists such as S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, Krishen Khanna, F.N. Souza, and Anjolie Ela Menon, and publishes accompanying exhibition catalogues in print and digital formats. It also facilitates auction transactions between artists/art sellers and collectors through its exhibition-led platform.
Is The Arts Trust a public or private company?
The Arts Trust is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Arts Trust founded?
The Arts Trust was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Arts Trust based?
The Arts Trust is headquartered in Mumbai, India, in the Asia region.
How does The Arts Trust make money?
One revenue line is on record: art Auction Services.
Does The Arts Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Arts Trust.
What industry is The Arts Trust in?
The Arts Trust's product category is Art Gallery & Auction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit), with a secondary code of CRAKAKAF, Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry). Its NAICS code is 459920 and its SIC code is 7330.