The most recent ArtSpace editorial intelligently clarifies what makes an artist an emerging artist and why it is important for art collectors to support original artists.

Artists should also understand where they fit in to such a designation. as emerging artist. Being defined as an emerging artist is not about your age. You don’t have to have a birth date in 1980 or after to be an emerging artist.

Art collectors seek to buy art that is ahead of its time. That means a mid-career painter, for instance, whose work is just beginning to gain curatorial interest is an emerging artist. Or a long-overlooked veteran artist who is known in the artistic community to be an inspiration to new generations of artists is emerging, as he or she begins to receive due art world recognition for contributions to artistic developments. Even still-living artists in advanced years, such as those in their 80’s or 90’s, may have emerging prices on their work as they begin to receive late recognition.

As the ArtSpace article points out, many art collectors with modest budgets find it deeply satisfying to support living artists at critical times in their careers. Plus these collectors often win later when the lower prices paid for artworks turn over into values many times the original amount paid.

Curators want to find the blind spots in contemporary art and identify the rising and under-appreciated artists working today. Often the term emerging is misused or abused. Collectors and curator should have an eye on originality, regardless of what art school the artist attended or whether they are over or under the age of 35.