The Rise of the Subscription Economy

In an increasingly fast-paced world saturated with new technology, ownership as a mode of consumption is officially on its way out. 

Today, it is more common to listen to music on Spotify than it is to buy singular tracks, and DVD stores have long been replaced by online streaming platforms. 

And it’s not just media - BMW is now offering ‘in-car microtransactions’, so that BMW drivers can now rent a heated steering wheel for as little as £10 per month. With gym memberships, meal kits and even toilet paper, it seems like there’s no corner that subscription has missed. 

The notion of conspicuous consumption is fast changing. Consumers are defining themselves less by what they own, and open to more fluid models of consumption that ultimately still allow for access to a premium product or experience. 

It’s safe to say that we’re well into the era of the subscription economy. 

The subscription model, which more and more companies are employing to distribute their products and services, creates users, not owners. Individuals pay a fee for periodical access, without the burden of maintenance, commitment or stagnation. 

It’s not merely a short term solution that meets a demand for a service someone only wanted to use temporarily, or couldn’t afford to own outright - rather, it’s a long term solution focused on  flexibility, access, sustainability and scalability. 

We’re making a case for more quality art in our lives. Our digital art subscription is designed to make great art more accessible, flexible and easier to incorporate into our workplaces and the public realm.

BILLY RYAN, FARAWAY GUMS AT 123 ALBERT STREET, BRISBANE. PHOTOGRAPHER: MARKUS RAVIK

Subscription means variety, and changing your mind anytime 

The proliferation of choices in the contemporary everyday has shaped a society of indecision. For a generation who can’t decide on what to wear to dinner, our subscription model takes away the burden of committing to a potentially large, expensive and permanent artwork in a space. 

Art is a powerful placemaking tool; transforming place and experience by sparking moments of wonder, emotional stimulation and bringing variety and liveliness into our spaces. Digital art makes this placemaking all the more effective as it’s infinitely more interactive, dynamic and easy to refresh. 

Subscription means accessibility 

Presently, the most common place we consume and interact with art is at  public and private galleries. But should art be limited to just these institutions? 

Our subscription model has been designed to build a habit of experiencing great art in our cities beyond the gallery walls. Renting digital art also allows you to experiment and explore the type of art that works best for your space, as well as continuously develop your own taste and knowledge. 

Subscription means less waste 

Does more art mean more waste? Not at all. While this may be true for traditional physical set-ups, with our digital art subscription platform: more art means less waste. 

Renting art on a rotating basis takes away the hassles of set-up, maintenance and de-accession, and removes the potential outcome of art going to landfill. Renting digital art takes sustainability to a new level - the transactions are instant and intangible, and so is installing and removing. 

Let’s celebrate artists and embed art in our cities, by embracing more inclusive, dynamic and sustainable platforms.

Words by Zeta Xu and Michelle Wang.