Clarendon Fine Art has opened its 100th gallery, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, after growing its network from 74 to 100 galleries over the past five years. The British art gallery group expects to exceed £100 million in annual sales for the first time in the current financial year.
The expansion of roughly 35% in five years has come through openings across the UK and US, alongside partnerships with department stores and luxury cruise operators. Two decades after opening its first gallery in London in 2006, Clarendon Fine Art describes itself as the UK’s largest art gallery group, with 80 high-street galleries in the UK as part of its wider network.
The business represents more than 150 emerging and established artists, spanning contemporary works and 20th-century masters. Beyond the 100 galleries it operates directly, it supplies artworks to a further 40 galleries across 10 countries through DeMontfort.
Much of the recent growth has come from widening the places where customers can discover and buy art. Its partnership with John Lewis, which saw Clarendon open galleries in three John Lewis stores earlier this year, brings curated gallery spaces into a department store setting, while a growing presence aboard luxury cruise ships, including the new Explora 3, connects the business with an international audience of potential collectors.
The group has also strengthened its position in the 20th-century and secondary art markets, which now account for approximately 20% of its activity, up from less than 10% in 2019.
The Wellesley gallery, in Greater Boston, marks the next phase of Clarendon’s US expansion, following the opening of its first American gallery in Westport, Connecticut, three years ago. The experience gained in Westport has helped the business build its understanding of the East Coast art market, refine its approach to local customer relationships and artist selection, and put in place the digital and operational infrastructure to support further growth. Wellesley gives it the opportunity to apply that model in a new market as it looks to strengthen its US customer base and establish a platform for longer-term expansion across the country.
Clarendon’s galleries draw on the expertise and personalised service of its Mayfair flagship, with specialist teams guiding collectors through the works on offer.
“Reaching 100 galleries is a significant moment for Clarendon, but what makes this milestone particularly meaningful is the way the business has evolved to get here. We’ve always believed that discovering and collecting art should be a personal, welcoming experience, and that philosophy has shaped our approach to growth.
Rebecca Ball, Chief Commercial Officer, Clarendon Fine Art
“Rather than relying solely on traditional gallery locations, we’ve looked at how we can bring that experience into new environments, whether that’s through our high-street galleries, partnerships with established retailers or our growing international presence. Our focus is on understanding where our collectors are, how they want to engage with art and creating more opportunities for those connections to happen.”
Looking ahead, Clarendon will continue to prioritise US expansion alongside the opportunities created by the growing Explora Journeys fleet; it also works with Cunard. The group is exploring further partnerships in the UK, with a new retail collaboration expected to launch before Christmas.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
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