Brave New World: Meet the New Generation of Art Collectors Share Young, ambitious, educated and wealthy, a new generation of art collectors is taking the art world by storm. Snapping up more works than ever before, a new and sharp-eyed generation of buyers is taking risks on emerging names and investing heavily in blue-chip artists. Beyond potential financial gains, these ambitious, educated and wealthy young people are also drawn to the prospect of joining the exclusive club that is the art world. “The growth has just been phenomenal,” says Charlotte Raybaud, head of evening sale, 20th-century and contemporary art at Phillips Hong Kong, of the number of young art aficionados entering the market. “It’s also undeniable that art has become a very valuable alternative investment. While you should always collect [based on] your passion, it’s hard to not pay attention to the big prices that are being achieved at auction and in galleries.”