PROJECT 02 by Ivy Rose Consulting 

Hey Ivy, can you just start by telling me a little bit about what brought you to the art world?

I found my way into the arts through a longstanding relationship to Melbourne’s galleries and museums. I was brought up visiting these spaces as a child. By the age 15 or 16, I had aspirations to be a curator, which were very promptly squashed by my conservative high school course coordinator, who didn't see these roles as attainable career paths.

I took a gap year, which quickly became three (nicknamed ‘gap life’ by my dad, who worried I’d never return to study). During that time, I seized travel opportunities and explored galleries abroad. I came back to Australia with this absolute determination to make it work. I enrolled in a Bachelor of Art History and Curating at Monash and started working on a casual basis as an art handler for the Deutscher and Hackett auctions. After graduating, I moved to Sydney and worked with PIERMARQ* gallery, and then with Neon Parc when I returned to Melbourne. After four and a half years in the industry, I decided to start my own art consultancy and, within the first year, PROJECT 02 was born.

After spending some time connecting with people of my generation (millennials) about their interest in collecting and their connection with art that they were buying, I noticed how a lot of people didn’t necessarily feel that they had a seat at the table when it came to how traditional commercial galleries operate.

I can acknowledge that the arts can often be a 'smoke and mirrors' industry that doesn't necessarily feel accessible and open to everybody, collectors and artists alike. I wanted to create a platform that sat in conjunction with my consultancy, where we support emerging artists and creatives across Australia and New Zealand to show their work in a digital space, become part of a collective and broaden their audiences.

With PROJECT 02 I am trying to carve out a space and create a culture for both collectors and artists to participate in that boasts transparent pricing models, unbiased access and financial support for unrepresented emerging talent.

You said you worked in galleries in Sydney and Melbourne. What sort of experiences did you have that made you approach collecting in this way?

The idea to branch out as an independent consultant developed largely from my experience working as a sales associate at a gallery in Sydney. I learned to generate my own leads and have those conversations that brought people into the gallery. Through that, I discovered a real love for engaging with collectors and connecting with new people. Over time, I built a skill set that gave me the confidence to go out on my own. 

I've always had an interest in working with emerging artists but sustaining a career in these environments can be really challenging. So when I decided to start a consultancy, the question was always at the back of my mind, ‘How can I stay connected to the local arts community?’ It is such a dynamic and colourful space.

You’ve mentioned collecting as a form of community care. Could you talk more about care in the context of your work?

I've always believed that you don't necessarily have to have a big budget or a six-figure job to be able to support emerging artists and be involved in this kind of creative economy. For me, collecting as care is reinvesting back into the artists. 

Community care, and how that informs PROJECT 02 specifically, comes from working in the commercial world and understanding how challenging it can be, even for artists who are represented. While I understand why these structures exist, with exclusivity contracts and high gallery commissions, many artists still struggle to make a career in art sustainable.

PROJECT 02 artists are non-exclusive, meaning they can participate in gallery exhibitions, conduct out-of-studio sales and have complete freedom in how they present and represent themselves.

Another model of care is keeping website commissions modest, allowing artists to take home more than they might in a commercial gallery. We aim to keep prices accessible while returning more to the artists. 

PROJECT 02 is still a business, and the wheels need to keep turning, but a key guiding question in everything we do is how we can both emotionally and financially support our artists, champion them and open the door to spaces they might not otherwise reach.

What has been the reception from collectors? Have they built relationships with emerging artists?

Collectors have responded really positively. Some artists, though not all, offer open studio visits, so when you purchase a piece, you can go meet the artist and pick it up in person. Collectors really enjoy that personal connection, and it’s exactly the kind of relationship PROJECT 02 is trying to champion.

Even more established collectors, heritage clients from the consultancy side who usually work with bigger galleries, have acknowledged that this model of collecting is important. While they may still acquire from the major galleries, they see platforms like PROJECT 02 as essential, especially as the cost of living rises and it gets harder for self-represented artists to make a sustainable living. People appreciate that we’re creating a genuine, supportive space for artists, and they’re excited to get behind it, support it and acquire works, which has been really encouraging.

You’ve talked about this a little already, but who did you have in mind when you first created PROJECT 02? Who do you hope feels seen or included?

So, it's kind of a double-pronged response. 

On one hand, it’s about the emerging artists. Coming back to Melbourne, being involved with BLINDSIDE and seeing artist-run initiatives host fantastic shows, often by unrepresented artists, going to the VCA and seeing the excellent end-of-year grad shows, I felt that I wanted to build a new space, whether that’s a physical or digital platform, for these artists because they deserve more opportunities to show their work. 

But there’s also the collector side. I don’t want to limit PROJECT 02 to just ‘next-gen’ collectors and I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by how many more established collectors see the value in it; that said, when I was creating it, I was thinking about millennials and this demographic of young people who were moving away from buying something from IKEA or Kmart and wanted original artwork that reflected their own interests, something unique that wouldn’t end up on 150 different walls across Melbourne. I didn’t feel like there were many spaces for young people to get into the rhythm of collecting, and I wanted to create a platform where they could access affordable original artwork in a way that feels natural to them—online shopping. E-commerce shapes how we buy almost everything else, so why not art too?

You also talk about trusting your taste when collecting art. What do you mean by that? And how do you help collectors feel confident in doing that?

By ‘trusting your taste,’ I mean stepping away from buying art for clout or just because a name is attached to it. When an artist reaches a point where anything they make sells, even if it’s repetitive, dated or lazy, it almost becomes a performance piece. That’s why it’s important to step back and ask, ‘How does this artwork actually make me feel?’ without looking at the wall text and who made it. That response is going to be different for everyone. For example, my boyfriend and I have hugely different tastes in art, and that’s okay. There’s art for everybody.

Without inundating, because I do want it to feel like a relaxing, curated experience, PROJECT 02 offers collectors a survey of what’s going on in the Australia and New Zealand emerging art space. There is such a diverse range of artists, practices, materiality and styles from hyper-realistic small-form paintings, to hand-molded ceramics, to brutalist abstract metal wall sculptures. The website allows people to kind of move through and explore pieces and to see what resonates for them.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to support artists but feels like they don't know enough or don't have enough money or resources to start?

I would definitely recommend PROJECT 02, that's a great place to start! Haha

Beyond that, check out artist-run initiatives (ARIs). Melbourne, for example, has an incredible network of them. Visiting these spaces is a low-pressure way to get a feel for the emerging arts landscape and start noticing what or who resonates with you, circling back to that idea of trusting your taste.

Gallery openings are another excellent, free way to support artists and start building your network. These events give you the chance to learn about the work directly from the creators.

If you’re excited by the idea of owning your first piece of art, consider supporting emerging artists. Your investment goes a long way for them, and you get to be part of their journey. Many of today’s emerging artists may become highly sought-after in 10 or 20 years, or even sooner, so it’s an exciting space to explore.