Programs
CSAA - Curated Support for Art & Acquisitions
A guided entry point into contemporary art collecting
Launching early April 2026 (Spring Cohort)
CSAA is a seasonal, cohort-based program for people who want to engage contemporary art with clarity and confidence. It is designed for early-stage collectors and art-curious patrons who want context, access, and support without pressure to buy.
Overview
How do artworks move through the world? How do people begin collecting with confidence? What kinds of relationships make collecting meaningful?
CSAA supports participants in developing visual confidence and understanding how decisions are made across contemporary art.
Who this is for
CSAA is designed for people who are curious about collecting and want a clear entry point. It is well suited to those beginning a collection, returning after time away, or seeking a more grounded relationship to art.
No prior knowledge is required. The program is intentionally welcoming and paced.
What the program supports
CSAA supports participants in navigating art spaces with clarity and ease. It builds practical knowledge around collecting, while fostering meaningful exchange with peers and professionals working across the field.
The program prioritizes access that is considered rather than transactional, creating direct points of connection with artists, curators, and gallerists. Through sustained looking across different practices and spaces, participants refine their own sense of taste and judgment.
CSAA approaches acquisition as a long-term commitment, grounded in thoughtful decision-making to cultivate the art advocates needed in the present moment. At James Co, we firmly believe that by supporting the art and artists of today we widen the compassionate spaces needed for more nuanced understanding of the complicated world we live in.
How it works
CSAA is structured loosely around the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, where participants commit to a shared season of engagement rather than individual, one-off experiences. In a CSA, members support a farm for a season and receive a share of what is grown. CSAA adapts this logic to art collecting.
Participants join a defined Spring cohort and move through a core pathway together. This shared structure creates community and trust. Optional extensions allow participants to deepen their engagement based on interest, without fragmenting the group experience.
Rather than selecting isolated events, participants invest in a guided process that unfolds over time.
Spring 2026 cohort
Format: In-person
Dates: April 7–April 17
Structure: Four NYC-based gatherings, with one optional add-on
Cohort size: Limited
Specific dates, partners, and locations will be shared with confirmed participants.
What to expect
CSAA consists of a small number of intimate in-person gatherings in New York City. Each session is structured and guided, with time for discussion built in.
Participants will spend time in galleries, artist studios, and exhibition spaces. Sessions focus on close looking and practical context. You will be introduced to how artworks are discussed, evaluated, and situated within the broader field.
The program will include guided gallery visits, studio visits with artists, and art-fair engagement. Each experience is designed to support learning, peer networking and informed decision-making.
Investment
CSAA offers participation starting at $375 which includes 4 in-person programs. Participants must be local to NYC for the program duration.
About the Program
CSAA is guided by Associate Advisor Sadaf Padder and Lead Curator Katherine Gass Stowe. Drawing on their curatorial and advisory practices, the program is shaped around clear guidance, thoughtful access, and responsible approaches to collecting.