Bold Predictions for the Future of Art | Michelle May
In the next decade, art is poised to transcend the boundaries that currently define it, reshaping not only how we experience it but how we create, share, and value it. The future of art will be dynamic, decentralized, and deeply intertwined with the digital world. It’s participatory, immersive, and decentralized. Inspired by an art salon engagement in Boston’s SoWa District at TAG The Art Gallery, I was reminded that no matter what challenges artists face, they always do the hard, gritty work to make their work and share it, somehow. Nothing can stop them. They are makers.
An engaged community at IGNITE Festival, viewed from the balcony of MoDS, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Let’s explore some of my predictions for the future of art in the next 10 years.
This is the future, artists empowered, emboldened, and supported by a global network that values innovation over conformity.
Immersive Art Experiences
Traditionally, art viewing can be siloed by people that are already engaged in the art world, leaving behind millions of people that have yet to engage. This will change. The concept of the white cube gallery will feel increasingly out of step with how people want to experience art. We must think like the people outside of our community if we want to engage with them and show them how magical the world of art and creativity are. Technology is making art immersive in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. With the evolution of extended reality technologies like holograms, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI, the art world is shifting to multi-sensory, interactive experiences. Museums are recognizing the value of these immersive shows. Imagine walking through a digital forest where every tree is a data-generated sculpture responding to your mood, or entering a gallery where the walls shift and morph as you move through the space.
Recent studies have shown that immersive art experiences hold transformative value, particularly for those outside the traditional art community. A report by The Arts Fund in Washington State highlighted that immersive exhibitions increased visitor engagement by 84%, fostering a deeper emotional connection to the work. Additionally, research from Eventbrite found that 72% of attendees at immersive art shows felt more inspired and connected to culture. We have an experience economy now, where young people pay to be inspired and wowed, signifying a huge shift in consumer spending for this age group. FOMO is real and contributes to the tribal inclusion of friends and groups attending events and experiences, together to make memories over buying luxury goods and big homes. Even more compelling, millennials are not alone in this movement. “ Since 1987, the share of consumer spending on live experiences and events relative to total U.S. consumer spending increased 70%,“ according to eventbrite.
Phygital Cities of the Future at MADarts, Dania Beach, Florida
“Millennials gain a sense of community via events: 69% of millennials believe attending events makes them feel more connected to other people, the community, and the world.”—eventbrite
These experiences break down barriers, making art accessible and impactful even to those who don’t frequent galleries—art is no longer passive; it invites participation and, more importantly, belonging. At Juniper Rag, we’re creating a community virtual “spaces” and in-person exhibitions where everyone is part of the conversation. We are on a mission to engage with a young, emerging creative and art-centric audience to share the work they are doing. Our past three exhibitions, Pulp, Unbound and Vanguard were to actively seek these artists out to share how technology is impacting their practice. These technologies will bring art into public life in new ways. We saw Carlos Luna James, (aka MGOGLKTKO) present his work COMMUNITY NARRATIV3S in a physical art space, while selling NFTs and then get featured on a jumbotron in Times Square to millions of people weeks after his participation in our Vanguard virtual exhibition. Art will no longer be something you "go see"; it will become an experience that surrounds us—integrating into our cities, homes, and digital devices. At Juniper Rag, we’ve already started collaborating with artists who see beyond the canvas, pushing towards art that engages people in entirely new environments.
MADarts, Dania Beach, a dynamic and exciting hub for cutting-edge projects and collaborations, a two-story immersive museum.
“Art will not be confined to museums, galleries or studios and will break into more public spaces where it can disrupt, engage, and provoke the public on a global scale”.
Decentralized Creative Spaces
Artists will no longer rely solely on physical galleries or institutions for validation. Just like Juniper Rag, so many networks of artists in all genres have rose to the surface. Instead, of traditional avenues and worrying about AI scraping their images copyright free, they’ll begin to claim agency over their work through decentralized platforms and digital spaces. The rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) is just the beginning. By 2035, we'll witness artists selling their work directly to collectors via blockchain-powered platforms, retaining control over their creative output for the legacy of the art, posthumously. This digital ownership will allow artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers—no more submission fees or waiting for gallery approval. The artist-collector relationship will become more direct and meaningful, empowering the creative community with autonomy over both artistic and financial decisions.
At Juniper Rag, we have always been one to shake up the norms. We’re already embracing ideas, exploring these platforms, collaborating with artists who want to push boundaries, challenge ownership models, and break free from the traditional art market’s grip.
Socially-Engaged, Politically-Charged
Based on what we have been seeing in the last decade, the future of art will become more deeply political, confronting societal issues head-on. As the world grapples with climate change, social justice, and technology’s ethical implications, artists will increasingly engage with these topics. There is already a shift towards socially engaged practices, with artists creating works that are activist in nature, meant to challenge and disrupt the status quo. For the first time in my art-making practice, I focused a series on the growing crisis of climate change for the islands of the Caribbean, specifically Tortola. Witnessing drastic changes myself in a place that holds my heart drove my art to shift so I could share a deep sadness and create a meaningful call to action. We live in an era marked by disastrous storms from climate crises, racial injustice across our nation and right at home, and exponentially fast technological change. We see artists are using their platforms to challenge power structures and demand accountability. Art has always been a mirror of society, but today, it’s a valuable weapon for resistance, a voice for the marginalized, and a catalyst for social action. At Juniper Rag, we see this growth as a response to the collective need for art that doesn’t just reflect the world but actively seeks to change it. We also see a trend in gallery spaces changing formats, many changing to non-profits and becoming not only a place for selling objects, but about incubating ideas, movements, and conversations. Connectors are active and creating relationships that can impact the arts in more meaningful ways. Obvious urgency of our times has lead to this rise of politically charged artwork. The connection of creative minds is a powerful force, united, we believe that mountains will move.
Digital Fashion Week NY, is now held in London, Paris, Milan
Personally, my recent artwork has long blurred the lines between a series based on our coasts and eco-activism. Juniper Rag reflects that ethos, featuring artists that are deeply engaged and committed to making change, artwork created by Julia C. R. Gray, Rebecca McGee Tuck, and the incredible impact and growth fostered by visionary designer and technologist Clare Tattersall, Founder of Digital Fashion Week New York and Advisory Board Member at Metaverse Fashion Council. The list goes on. In the next decade, we’ll continue to support traditional artists and those looking to the future of art, all whose work confronts the critical issues of our time. Art will be a tool for change, not just an aesthetic experience.
The future of art isn’t just digital—it’s participatory, immersive, and decentralized. Artists will gain control over their creative futures, technology will break down traditional boundaries, and art will step into the forefront as a catalyst for social and political change. For those of us at Juniper Rag, this future isn’t just exciting—it’s already here, and we’re ready to share and lead. When powerful creative minds come together, the potential for societal impact is limitless. Collaboration fuels innovation, and when artists, thinkers, and visionaries unite, they can dismantle systems, reimagine futures, and ignite movements. At Juniper Rag, we believe in the alchemy that happens when diverse creative voices converge—don’t just create art—they craft solutions, inspire change, and cultivate communities. The collective energy of unified creatives amplifies each individual’s power, and together, they have the capacity to heal, disrupt, and rebuild society in ways that a single artist cannot achieve alone.
This is the power of creative solidarity: it sparks revolutions.
