WORLD OF ART SHOWCASE SHINES A SPOTLIGHT
ON ORIGINAL ARTWORK AS NOT SIMPLY
AN AESTHETIC DELIGHT, BUT ALSO AS ONE
OF TODAY’S MOST PROFITABLE INVESTMENTS

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The Visual Arts Mecca Debuting at The Wynn Las Vegas
December 20-22, 2012 Will Include an Education Element
On This Topic, Which Has Recently Been Spotlighted
By Forbes, US News, Bloomberg, Marketwatch and Luxist

A long overdue celebration of the visual arts and artists, the World of Art Showcase (www.worldofartshowcase.com)—set to debut at The Wynn Las Vegas December 20-22, 2012—is being promoted as an exclusive show for professional artists from across the U.S. to sell their art and make important personal connections with art buyers, collectors and galleries.

The growing lineup of world-renowned artists on the World of Art Showcase roster include Wolfgang Widmoser, Daniel E. Greene, Leon Oks, Jota Leal, Morpheus Fine-Art, Vladimir Kush, Steve Hanks, Sally Maxwell, Tony Pro and many more.

While illuminating for patrons how, why and when to purchase paintings for pleasure and aesthetic purposes, the multi-faceted event will also shine a much needed spotlight on the value of original artwork as one of today’s most profitable and enduring financial investments.

The groundbreaking vision of David Goldstein, COO of Jerry’s Artarama—one of the world’s most loved art material supply companies—the World of Art Showcase is very much a cause to reestablish the arts to their rightful place within society. Goldstein believes that while a great piece of art can enrich people spiritually and emotionally every day, it is also the best investment they can make, whether they are connoisseurs or novices in the world of art appreciation.

He boldly asserts: “Art enriches your life every day, and at the same time, offers better returns than the stock market. Buying stocks is sometimes about embracing a sheep mentality, where we’re following trends. You’re never going to make a 40 percent return on your money. But anyone who buys good quality art and later chooses to sell it will make more money than they ever dreamed possible.”

Over the past few years, Goldstein’s claims have been echoed by numerous art and financial experts in such publications and websites as Forbes, US News, Bloomberg.com, Marketwatch and Luxist.

A Forbes article by contributor Abigail R. Esman dated March 26, 2012 lists and comments on the insights offered at the TEFAF (European Fine Art and Antiques Fair) market symposium by Fabian Bocart, founder of the Brussels-based Tutela Capital and Philip Hoffman, Chief Executive of the Fine Art Fund Group, an art investment fund.

Their insights included the fact that while contemporary art remains the most volatile market, it also offers the top rewards so long as, as Bocart notes, you “buy wisely, sell wisely and take care regarding authentication.” Other important notions include: the fluctuations in the market for one artist can and often will affect the market for another, related artist—so knowledge of art movements and art history can help investors better understand these connections. For this reason, diversification is key—and that can mean moving beyond fine art into decorative art.

Other insights offered by Bocart and Hoffman: Value is found not only in the artist, but in the quality of a given work, and watch out for seeming bargains. Bocart advises calculating and writing down the possible profits or losses for an investment and compare them. Their final suggestion was about primary markets and the value of buying new art by young artists. The article says, “While the chances that your own discovery of a new artist will prove financially rewarding may be smaller than the chance of an increase in value of a Picasso drawing, the cost of a work by a young artist is a fraction of that cost.”

The subhead of Rachel Koning Beals’ November 16, 2011 article in the Money/Personal Finance section of usnews.com read: “If you can overcome its steep entry point, art can help spread risk and generate solid returns.” In a thought later echoed by the creators and promoters of the World of Art Showcase, she writes: “For those who like to combine their passions with their investing, ‘real’ assets might just involve surrealist paintings.

“Stock market volatility and predictions for higher inflation risk have led investors to focus on better insulating their portfolios,” Beals writes. “And one way to take out some inflation insurance is with investments that are generally considered to be ‘real’ assets. This can include commodities like precious metals, but also art and collectibles. Art investing is subjected to price-swing risk and does involve transaction and insurance costs, so appreciation may take longer than with traditional stock investing. But it’s also a purchase that has a place outside of portfolios, since it can be enjoyed in the home and loaned out to exhibits for the broader good.”

Beals later quotes art investment analysts at Deloitte: “Art has a low or negative correlation with many other asset classes and can play a positive role in portfolio diversification. Some academic studies claim that art or collectibles should represent around 5 percent of a well-diversified portfolio.” Beals comments: “This consultancy is making a significant push in art financing and art investing analysis, in Europe especially, because it sees a growing asset class in art.”

On May 10, 2012, Pimm Foxx and Courtney Donohoe of Bloomberg Radio’s “Taking Stock” had a discussion with Brian McConville, Executive VP at Artnet, and Thomas Gailbraith, Director of Analytics at Artnet, about the recent launch of a new modern art index. It provides value to financial advisers to track and monitor art market movements as to how a client’s art assets are performing. The largest network of its kind, Artnet has over 2,200 galleries in more than 250 cities worldwide, and more than 166,000 artworks by over 39,000 artists from around the world. Artnet Galleries serves dealers and art buyers alike by providing a survey of the market and its pricing trends, as well as the means to communicate instantly, inexpensively and globally.

Luxist is a website dedicated to covering the best the world has to offer on a variety of luxury and fine living topics, including real estate, trends in travel, the art world, shopping, fashion, gourmet food, wine and the spending habits of the rich and famous. In an article by contributor Tom Johansmeyer dated June 30, 2009, he lists “Ten Tips For Investing in Art.” Tips include: Take a recreational interest in art; Know where to find insights, including art market publications and auction house websites; decide how much you have to invest; understand the difference in media, i.e. between sculpture and paintings (easier for entry level artists); hunt for your first positions; explore the artist’s financial accomplishments and learn his or her personal story (which can drive future sales) and educational pedigree; and manage downside risk (i.e. using your preferences as the first measure of whether to purchase, so if it doesn’t appreciate in value, you’ll still own a piece you enjoy.).

Johansmeyer’s ninth tip, staying in touch with your artist, is exactly the kind of thing the creators of World of Art Showcase had in mind for their event, which is designed to foster long term connections between buyers and sellers. The writer says, “Especially for emerging artists, the latest prices aren’t published daily, unlike financial market results. The best way to stay on top of what your collection is worth is to call the artist every now and then. Ask what he’s created lately, how many pieces he’s sold and whether the price point has moved. This will help you understand what your art portfolio is worth.”

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The World of Art Showcase is an exclusive event for professional artists to sell their art and make important connections with art buyers, collectors and galleries. Taking place December 20-22, 2012 at The Wynn Las Vegas, the focus of the show is to promote the arts and explain how, why and when to purchase paintings and sculptures for both pleasure and investment purposes.  To learn more about the World of Art Showcase or for more information on exhibiting, please visit www.worldofartshowcase.com