Deloitte Romania study on the local art market: Romanian collectors are mainly motivated by aesthetic and personal reasons, but also consider investment benefits

• Almost half of collectors (49%) interact with both the Romanian and international art markets.
• Given the relatively young profile of the Romanian art consumer (65% of respondents are aged between 35 and 56), contemporary art, especially pieces created after 2000, emerges as a clear preference.

Romanian collectors are mainly motivated by aesthetic and personal reasons when purchasing artworks, but a significant part of them (46%) also consider financial and investment benefits, such as store of value, portfolio diversification or risk coverage in periods of economic volatility, shows the Deloitte Art Market Report 2025, conducted for the first time in Romania, in collaboration with RAD Association, based on the responses of over 100 collectors. Most of them (49%) divide their interest between works by Romanian and international artists, while a third (36%) stay loyal to local art creation, perhaps indicative of accessibility and cultural affinity, the study also shows.

Painting remains the predominant artistic category, present both in purchase history (89% of respondents) and in future intent (86%). It is followed by sculpture (53% in purchase history, 60% in intent), respectively photography (49% in both purchase history and intent). Installations and conceptual art are less present in collections compared to established categories ― painting, sculpture and photography ― but the purchase interest exists (31%). At the same time, although niche creations (glass, video art, outdoor sculpture, etc.) are perceived as viable options for the future for collectors and investors, they clearly require sustained popularization, according to the report. On the other hand, given the relatively young profile of the Romanian art consumer (65% of respondents are aged between 35 and 56), contemporary art, especially pieces created after 2000, emerges as a clear preference, with eight out of ten respondents mentioning it in both purchase history and intent.

“The study is a premiere in Romania and an important signal that we are launching, together with the RAD Association, to both the artistic community and to art collectors and enthusiasts, offering recognition to the local market as an emerging ecosystem, built on solid principles that combine aesthetic and affective criteria with investment arguments. The report identifies several local trends ― a young market both in terms of demographics and collector practice, an increased appetite for painting and contemporary art, and a growing openness to international influences and artists. It also confirms some conclusions already validated by studies conducted by Deloitte in Luxembourg or Hungary, among collectors in major European and global art markets: the prevalence of artistic criteria in art purchase decisions, the need for clearer guidance and increased transparency in artworks evaluation and the visibility of prices, as well as the role of art collections in connecting generations,” stated Corina Dimitriu, Partner, Deloitte Romania.

Art generally attracts moderate investment from Romanian collectors, being perceived as a hedging tool (26%) in volatile economic times, but also as a means of asset diversification (24%) or even as a speculative vehicle (19%), with potential for future returns. In most portfolios, artworks represent a complementary asset category, with six out of ten collectors indicating an art share of up to 10% of their total assets. Only 5% of them state that they have more than half of their wealth invested in art.

“Aesthetic and emotional criteria, along with financial and investment reasons that underlie art consumers’ decisions, stand together as a tandem that generates long-term value. Not coincidentally, most respondents (66%) declare that they keep the purchased artworks for at least ten years, generally in close proximity, at home or at the office. More than 41% of them have the clear intention of passing them on as a family heirloom, reinforcing the idea of ​​filiation of equally aesthetic and financial values ​​and contributing ― why not? ― to the still young practice in Romania of managing and consolidating generational wealth,” stated Andrei Burz-Pînzaru, Partner, Deloitte, and Leader of the Deloitte Private Program in Romania.  

Over half of respondents (59%) invest in art amounts that do not exceed 10% of their annual income. Most collectors (34%) own between 6 and 24 works, suggesting a prevalence of smaller collections yet of great artistic significance and strongly influenced by the personality of the collector. Large collections, of over 100 or over 300 pieces, accounting for 11% of respondents each, are a significant but niche trend.

“This publication is more than a research initiative — it marks a moment of progress within a burgeoning art market. One important finding within the report is that half of the collectors pay attention and buy contemporary artworks by both Romanian and international artists. This evolution from a market focused almost solely on its national output, into a market inclusive of and attentive to the international contemporary art conversation, is an indicative step in the development of a diverse, exciting, and forward-thinking art scene,” stated Catinca Tabacaru, gallerist, curator, co-founder of RAD Association, and co-Artistic Director of RAD Art Fair.

The Deloitte Art Market Report 2025 was conducted for the first time in Romania, in collaboration with the RAD Association and with the support of Art Advisory Budapest and Mütargy Galleries. The study is based on a survey applied in March-April 2025 among 104 local collectors, with backgrounds in art, finance, real estate, technology, media, law, and other. The report, which provides an overview of the perspectives and interests of Romanian art collectors, was launched during the third edition of the RAD Art Fair, in May 2025.

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