Who is Independent Collectors for?

Independent Collectors is for collectors of contemporary art who want to connect to other collectors around the world with the intention of sharing experiences, knowledge and insight. So if you want to conduct simple searches by artists, location or collectors names, if you want to build up your own network of likeminded collectors or if you want to show parts of your collection, then Independent Collectors is for you.

What is the membership-fee for Independent Collectors?

The full membership is free of charge during the beta phase, which is scheduled to take until the end of 2008. After that, Independent Collectors becomes subject to a membership fee. You will be informed well before a switch and will be given enough time to decide whether you want to become a full member. All other accounts will be switched to free guest-accounts.

What is the privacy policy of Independent Collectors?

To protect your data is one of our core aims. Since this topic is way to important for us to deal with in an FAQ list, we kindly ask you to read the complete guidelines in the privacy section.

I forgot my password. What do I do?

No problem at all. Simply follow the guidelines in our lost password section.

I would like to browse through your past newsletters. Where can I go?

Thanks for the interest! All newsletters will be stored for further reference. Check this space.

This is supposed to be a community. Where is the RSS feed?

We are planning on implementing RSS feeds in the future. Please stay tuned.

I detected a profile I think is a fake. What can I do?

Thanks for watching out. You can report negative happenings to the office.

How do I create a profile?

First, you register for Independent Collectors and then you follow the simple guidelines. You can change the information at any time. You can also define who will be allowed to see your profile in the privacy settings.

How much information do I have to enter?

Generally, that’s up to you. We ask for a specific set of core data, most of which will not be shown in your profile. We recommend however to enter as much data as possible, as long as you’re comfortable with it. This enhances the experience and benefit for everyone.

How can I quit Independent Collectors?

Quite easily: Simply login to your account and proceed to the section called “account status” where you’ll find detailed information.

How can I contact other collectors?

During the beta-phase, you can contact all collectors by sending them a message through their profile page. Please don’t abuse this opportunity as we reserve the right to withdraw it, should an abuse be reported. After the beta-phase, you’ll be able to send personal messages only if you are a full member.

How does the messaging system work?

Messages can be sent from the profile pages of other collectors or from the section “Personal Messages”. Sent messages are stored in the “sent” box, received ones in the “received” box and so on. Pretty much like your regular e-mail system. You can block messages from users you don’t want to receive messages from by blocking these collectors.

Why create a network of collectors?

We believe that other collectors are the best source when it comes to information about artists, galleries and collecting in general. Being connected to collectors also gives you access to other collectors you are not yet connected with. You know how it works. Every successful network is based on respect and on openness. The bigger these two elements are, the bigger and the more successful your network. Which in turn increases the fun of collecting contemporary art.

Can I invite other people to join?

Of course, and we kind of urge you to do that. If you know of other collectors or people who are interested in collecting but haven’t started yet, invite them! You can do so through the “Invite” category in the “Contacts” section after you’re logged in. As soon as the invitee accepted, he or she will be listed as your contact. But you could also send them the link ...

Can I contact my friends in the network?

Sure. You can send them personal messages through your messaging section or through their profile. Just be kind and respectful, please.

How many people can I invite?

It’s up to you. You can invite everyone you think would benefit from the platform. Just keep it to manageable sizes, maybe. If we feel that the feature is being abused, we reserve the right to restrict the number of invitations.

What is this “favorites” thing?

If you discover other collectors that could be interesting, either because they are from a nearby location or because you share favorite artists, you can bookmark these collectors. All bookmarked collectors show up in the “ favorites” section of your contacts, so you can contact them later.

How many collectors can I add to my favorites list?

For now, you can add up to ten collectors. We may expand that feature in the future, depending on the reactions of our members.