Two ways to work with Derek: as a trusted advisor on the art you own or want to own — and as a speaker who brings decades of the art world to your stage, boardroom, or classroom.
Independent, plainly-spoken counsel for collectors, families, and institutions — on what a work is, what it's worth, and whether it belongs with you.
A clear, independent read on a work's true value today — for acquisition, sale, insurance, or estate.
Rigorous judgment on what a work is and where it has been — so nothing about it can surprise you later.
What to pursue, what to decline, and exactly when, where, and how to sell — collections built with intent.
A collection is a set of decisions. I help you make them well.— Professor Derek Burton Collins
Thirty years between the saleroom and the lecture hall, distilled for the stage — keynotes, panels, and private sessions that leave a room thinking differently about art, value, and leadership.
What the world's great collections teach any leader about stewardship, taste, and the long view — and why a curator's instincts are fast becoming the ones every board needs.
How value is really made — and mistaken.
The trained eye, and why no algorithm replaces it.
Where the world's collections go from here.
The promise — and the fine print.
Heritage, stewardship, and legacy.
Art as a bridge between worlds.
Whether you'd like advice on a work or collection, or you're looking for a speaker your audience will remember — send a note.
Contact Derek