“Art clearly has a future that will continue to branch into new forms, including continuing to integrate new technology.” – Mark Simpson, Founder of Evrywhere.

To say that art has changed over the decades is an understatement! From economic, social, environmental and political changes around the world, it’s only expected that people’s artistic tendencies and styles follow suit. With the rise of technology, the gaining popularity of digital art and the increasing difficulty to define what art is, it’s easy to assume that there are changes coming that we can’t even fathom. What is easy to predict is the incorporation of real, everyday issues into art, something that’s always been prevalent in the industry. The biggest of these issues include climate change and inclusivity in terms of gender and race.

According to reports by The New York Times, the effects of climate change caused by human activity will be inescapable by 2040. This makes climate change the biggest issue at hand in the next 20 years. This suggests that by then, artists “will wrestle with the possibilities of the post-human and post-Anthropocene – artificial intelligence, human colonies in outer space and potential doom” – Devon Van Houten Maldonado. Adding to that the current global pandemic, many will want a more sustainable art world to reduce our carbon footprint caused by things like shipping artworks internationally; something that is increasing the popularity of digital art.

Inclusivity is the future as well with museums moving towards more comprehensive presentation of art history. Whether through overdue retrospectives for great women artists like Eileen Agar or confronting systematic racism because of the Black Lives Matter protests, get ready to feast your eyes on a huge array of lesser-known artists soon. This is long overdue if you ask me! A big example of this is the fact that the Guggenheim Museum in New York has put a 2-year Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion plan in place, which includes anti-racism training for all their staff.

One thing is for sure, the only constant is change and that’s exactly what we can expect from the art industry moving forward. One thing that will never change, though, is the platform that art provides any and everyone with a message, idea, or opinion to express. “Since the beginning of time, art has been a great connector of people. It’s how humans have expressed themselves, communicated and shared experiences in every society, race, and culture throughout history. As such, these intrinsic fundamentals of art – the creativity, connection, and communication it delivers –– will never change” – Susan Morrow Potje, Owner of the Celebration of Fine Art.