Catherine Hill co-launches Artistate
Forsters’ Head of Art and Cultural Property and Private Client Partner, Catherine Hill, co-launches Artistate, an innovative professional services platform for artists to plan and protect their artistic legacy and estate.
Catherine has cofounded Artistate with a group of specialist professional advisors in the art industry, with the aim of providing artists and their estates with integrated legal, tax and financial advice that addresses their wide range of needs.
Through the team’s panel of professional experts, Artistate provide a range of services for artists in order to maximise the value of their art and, in the long-term, build an enduring legacy. Services include:
- Writing a Will
- Documenting relationships with galleries and museums
- Employing studio assistants and managers
- Tax advice and support
- Creating a corporate structure around a body of works
- Creating and managing an artist's archive
- Managing intellectual property rights
- Collecting royalties
How does Artistate work?
The service offers an initial consultation to artists and their representative(s) to review the artist or estate’s circumstances; the Artistate experts then provide their recommended action points for the artist or the estate to consider. Once the artist or estate has selected the advice they require, the relevant Artistate advisor will provide a fee estimate and provide the services directly to the client.
Who are the Artistate experts?
Catherine Hill: Forsters’ Private Client partner, Catherine has many years' experience acting for living artists and their families, including several leading contemporary figures, on legacy, succession and taxation issues. Catherine also advises collectors, galleries and museums. She has lectured at the Royal Academy on Legacy Planning and on art law matters generally and is a member of PAIAM (Professional Advisers to the International Arts Market) and the Heritage Lawyers Group. She acts as trustee and executor for many of her artist clients.
Keith Graham: an experienced Chartered Accountant, advises individuals and businesses on Tax (both UK and International) and general financial matters, as well as providing accounting and audit services.
John Martin: the gallery director of John Martin Gallery which he opened in 1992. He was the founder of Cromwell Place in South Kensington and co-founder and fair director of Art Dubai (2007-9).
Pierre Valentin: founding partner of Constantine Cannon LLP (London) where he heads their art and cultural property law team. Prior to joining Constantine Cannon, he was a Senior Director and Associate General Counsel at Sotheby’s.
Catherine Hill comments: “Our research shows that many artists never get round to writing a Will. To die leaving a studio full of art and archives without proper planning will not do any good to an artist’s legacy. Thankfully, artists and studio managers increasingly realize how important it is to define and establish an artistic estate whilst the artist is alive. That’s when ARTISTATE comes into its own.”
If you wish to find out more or to arrange an initial consultation, please do visit the Artistate website or get in touch with Catherine.
Image courtesy of Walter Finch