2:30 PM | WELCOME @The Grand Staircase
Refreshments on the Grand Staircase. Meet your fellow guests before an afternoon of conversations on art, culture and capital.
3:00 PM | INTO THE NOW: CONNECTING HISTORY WITH TOMORROW
We begin our day in the Royal Suite with a few poignant questions: What deserves our attention, our investment and a place in the future?
Our 2026 theme, INTO THE NOW, explores the forces shaping how art and culture are created, valued, experienced and carried forward. Bringing together artists, cultural leaders and entrepreneurs, From Lover to Buyer™ moves from Old Masters and the business of nostalgia to patronage, cultural ambition and the intersection of art, AI and neuroscience. Together, we consider what we value today—and how the choices we make now shape what comes next.
3:15 PM | THE NEW MARKET FOR OLD MASTERS
The next discovery may already be centuries old. Art historian and journalist J. Cabelle Ahn sits down with Sotheby’s Institute of Art art business educator Jeffrey Boloten to explore how scholarship, shifting tastes and collecting across categories can bring historic works into contemporary focus. What draws younger collectors to Old Masters, how do overlooked works find new relevance, and what should buyers understand about the relationship between cultural significance and market value?
3:25 PM | THE LUXURY OF NOSTALGIA
Heritage shapes a narrative. Keeping that story alive takes imagination. Belmond’s Arnaud Champenois shares the form of luxury that resonates today, and offers a glimpse into Belmond’s upcoming photography initiatives. From the allure of nostalgia to the art of slowing down, this is a conversation about what it means today to be a curator of global culture—and how creative collaborations can generate lasting value for artists. Interviewed by journalist and Art Asset Class Founder Aza Benyatov.
3:50 PM | SCALING IMPACT: AN ARTIST’S VISION FOR CHANGE
For globally renowned artist Grimanesa Amorós, light is a way to connect people with history, architecture and one another. Her monumental installations provide a starting point for a conversation with brand strategist and founder of Alternatives Mark Koch about the artist as cultural entrepreneur: translating a singular vision into a shared experience, reaching new audiences and building impact that extends beyond the work itself.
4:30 PM | CHAMPAGNE AFTERNOON TEA
Tea, conversation and a little time to connect. Enjoy scones, sandwiches and petits fours in the company of fellow guests.
5:15 PM | SAME BUT DIFFERENT
How do you give a familiar story new life? Johnny Smith, BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and co-creator of Gnomeo & Juliet and Mike Bassett: England Manager, joins our founder Aza Benyatov for a cup of tea and a conversation about reinvention. Drawing on a career spanning film, television and children’s books, they explore what makes a story truly original, why we return to certain narratives time and again, and the creative challenge of reimagining familiar ideas for new audiences.
5:25 PM | THE MAESTROS OF CULTURE
When does a private collection become a public contribution—and a cultural project begin to change a city? Patrick Foret sits down with cultural strategist Dr. Polina Surina to examine how art, capital and partnerships shape the identity of a place. Drawing on work across Art Basel, Saadiyat Island, family offices and hospitality, they ask who sets the agenda, how curatorial independence is protected and what gives a cultural initiative a life beyond its opening.
5:50 PM | LEGACIES WORTH PROTECTING
What do we want to pass on—and what will it take to preserve it? Sherrards’ Head of Art & Heritage Arthur Byng Nelson and Royal Ballet and Opera philanthropy specialist Benjamin Cunningham bring together two perspectives on cultural legacy: the practicalities of protecting private wealth and the commitments behind patronage. From planning the future of an art collection to sustaining the artistry of opera and ballet, they explore how collectors and patrons can leave the next generation something to experience, not just something to inherit.
6:25 PM | SELF & SPACE: ON ART, AI & NEUROSCIENCE
How does art change the way we experience ourselves and the spaces around us? Artists Harriet and Johannes Girardoni join neuroscientist, artist and NeuroCreate founder Dr. Shama Rahman to examine perception, creative states and the meeting of art, AI and neuroscience. From sculptures in wood and wax to immersive installations shaped by brain and body signals, they consider what happens when the viewer becomes an active participant—and the work responds. Interviewed by Mark Koch.
7:00 PM | COCKTAIL RECEPTION
Raise a glass to London Art Week and take the conversation into the evening. Trade discoveries, compare plans and pick up a few insider leads for the days ahead—from artists to watch to exhibitions worth making time for.
