Strategic advisory and management services for the arts.

Black Etc. was founded in 2014 by Valérie Whitacre with the aim of combining her experience in business development and photography dealing. Today, the company incorporates an additional decade of experience in the photography market, fine art consulting and blockchain art based initiatives.

The company embraces the core belief that the arts are at the heart of innovation and progress. Whilst the traditional art market remains opaque, a new generation of brands, museums, galleries and collectors have found rich opportunities through transparency, collaboration and collective innovation.

Black Etc. positions itself at the centre of these operators, providing strategic advisory and collections management for collectors, private foundations, museums, aspiring creatives, start-ups, commercial and philanthropic initiatives who share these beliefs.

What to expect

  • Strategic consulting is often overlooked by art market stakeholders, and can cause serious stumbling blocks to a project’s success. From early research stages to project coordination and delivery, Black Etc. takes a collaborative and forward-thinking approach to bring the best ideas, providers, partners and experts together to realise client goals. Black Etc. offers an especially strong network for photography, new technologies and digital art on the blockchain.

  • The most basic steps of art acquisition, storage, insurance, payments, loans and sales are almost always more efficient with a central coordinator. Further, in the age of digital art collecting on the blockchain, even basic wallet management can be a hurdle for individuals and museums. Black Etc. offers refined, specialist knowledge for collectors looking for value appreciation advice, divestment strategies and consolidation as well as introductions to digital art collecting.

  • There are few programmes or resources for creatives, aspiring dealers or collectors to learn more about how to realise their ambitions. Paying it forward is a core foundation of Black Etc. which offers mentorship to those wanting more guidance on how to enter or operate in the traditional, the digital and blockchain art market, or both.

Projects

Whilst many projects on which I work remain private, the last two years involved more public projects with institutions including the Serpentine Galleries in London, The Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and the Allen Ginsberg Estate in the United States. 
Mixing traditional art, new technologies, branded partnerships, NFT drops and physical art projects, these initiatives are bespoke to each stakeholder and leverage a strong network across different competencies and regions.

About Me

Pleasure to meet you, I’m Valérie.
I am a career photography dealer with a passion for building businesses, networks and projects that are more than the sum of their parts. In 2022, I pivoted to digital art on the blockchain, leading global Web3 initiatives for a blockchain ecosystem, which brought me back to my roots as a strategic advisor. The experience inspired me to integrate my unique knowledge of the art market, photography, tech and strategy in a way that allows me to support and create more refined projects, in direct alignment with clients.

Let’s work together

Please feel free to get in touch no matter the scope of your project.

All enquiries and conversations are strictly private and confidential. However, if you require an NDA before a consultation, please let me know.

News and updates are sent once a quarter.

I offer a limited number of free consultations per month, prioritising students and creatives.