I had not heard of
The Cultivist until
happychic started this thread. It appears the program started in 2015, and initial membership was capped at 1,000 people, at $2,500/member/year. The website still shows a $2,500 membership, but also a $440 membership, and now this free trial membership for Venture X cardholders.
Read 2017 interview with founders here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathery...h=648db5117949
We said we would accept up to 1,000 members in the first phase of membership and yes, we still believe that was the right decision. It helped us build a strong community of people who truly cared about the arts.....We are now focused on expanding our community in key regions such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, Belgium and Germany.
Read 2019 interview with the founders here:
https://spearswms.com/we-dont-just-g...the-cultivist/
One of the things that was very important to us was to go beyond purely the ‘access’ and offer the educational side of things—we refer to it as ‘meaningful access’. We don’t just get people through the doors. We’re not just a concierge that gives someone a ticket. We get them through the door, take them in, and then explain to them what’s happening in there.
This article shows how The Cultivist adapted to the decline in travel during the pandemic: https://citizen-femme.com/2020/10/06...citizen-femme/
The Cultivist’s latest turn sees the launch of a new digital art programme, which allows members to attend everything from studio visits to museum exhibitions – all from the comfort of your home.
Read a critique of the concept here:
https://hyperallergic.com/228272/the...the-art-world/
The Cultivist relies on the bourgeois fantasy that you may have a deep experience without doing the necessary preparatory work to achieve it. As the club indicates on its website in the “About” section: “The Cultivist makes your journey through art effortless and enriching.