[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet.
Kojiro Tomita

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

How it all began

Service is an Art exclaimed Donna Wolf when she gave up her top job to help artists with their administration. DisKa, a growing and blossoming art fund is the result. Donna Wolf uses her brains and follows her heart. In 2001 she gave up her position as CFO of a multinational, and together with a like minded lawyer, founded an independent consultancy practice. As an American economist, it struck her that the Dutch cultural and commercial sectors almost seemed to be one anothers rivals. Whereas Wolf is more inclined to combine creative and commercial ideas. To her, the two are complementary forces which when combined serve to strengthen one another. She wanted to help emerging artists with practical things like administration and accounting, finding a studio and organizing exhibitions while at the same time creating a stir in the world of collectors and art lovers. Follow your Art, become the payoff. Donna Wolf used her business sense in combination with her unique talent to enable passion, practical insight and personal warmth to work together. While studying economics in Berlin she investigated a special local economy: the trade relationship between East Germans looking for goods- and West Germans in search of services. Wouldnt this type of barter be possible here too? She allows her emerging artists to pay with Artwork. Quality Artwork that is. The art will increase in value certainly if you ensure that the artists receive recognition, and they develop their network and use this positive stimulus to continually increase the quality of their artwork. For this reason only very carefully selected artists are chosen for participation in DisKa. Wolf surrounded herself with a unique group of experts and collectors of contemporary art.

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

How it all began

DisKa is also an Art fund. Individuals and companies can become silent partners through a contribution of 15.000. Half shares are available and payment in instalments over five years is also possible. The contributions from investors are used to acquire artworks from the selected artists; increasing the art collection. Currently the collection comprises 200 artworks that continue to increase in value. Once every five years the investors have an opportunity for an exit. Are we taking about art lovers, or a group of people who smell profits? Both of course. And Donna wouldnt be Donna if she didnt make a nice club out of it at the same time. During the exhibitions and dinners, the members have an opportunity to make a personal selection from the collection, for a temporary exhibition in their own home. Her talent to bring together people, activity, money and emotion by combining them into a dynamic whole, has led to the formation of a circle of art lovers that continues to grow in size and enthusiasm. For art and artists, for togetherness, mutual support and establishing a network of contacts. Each and every element of the concept is interrelated and falls into place, she acknowledges with contentment. By Jacqueline Volenhoven Safe magazine, Robeco group February 2009 Money helps

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Who are we for?

Artists with high potential Aspiring Collectors Partners Young Arts Professionals Arts lovers in the community

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

How we work

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Detailing how we do it
1) Support high potential artists by:

Promoting their talents through a mutually beneficial relationship

-exchanging professional services to include their quality artworks in the Deiska collection -finding studio spaces -connecting them with galleries and the public -doing their taxes -organizing exhibitions

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Detailing how we do it
2) Develop aspiring collectors by: Engaging them as co-owners in the art fund -creating opportunities to have art in their homes and offices -engaging them in dialogue with artists and experts at openings, exhibitions and other events -together establishing places for exploring contemporary arts and collecting

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Detailing how we do it
3) Build a strong collection of unique artworks being produced in the Netherlands now by: Collecting with vision and care - fostering enduring and reciprocal relationships with our artists, collectors and partners -discovering and developing new talents -continuing to build and use our special networks -promoting the collection (exhibitions, website, interviews, special events, etc.) -under the guidance of an expert selection committee

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Detailing how we do it
4) Open a gateway to the Dutch art community: Creating a place for art lovers to connect, experience, aspire and learn -organizing exhibitions -coordinating artist talks -bridging communities (art, corporate, cultural, young professionals, etc.) - facilitating new relationships and projects

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

Why we do it

Fostering creativity in your community

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

What our artists say:

In 2002 Eduard de Geer, founder of Deiska, introduced my work to Deiska's selection committee. I was quite happy to be selected as one of the participating artists. From that moment on I could benefit from Deiska's services. For some artists trading work for services may not be preferable to selling for cash, but I don't mind doing so because Deiska does a lot more than providing assistance in practical matters. In 2003 I participated in the Amsterdam Art fair and with the support of Deiska I was able to have a nice small catalogue of my paintings designed and printed. Deiska payed for it partially, but equally important was their help in finding a superb designer, who was willing to work for a modest fee. Deiska also helped my finding a printer. Since one of the directors of this firm was one of the earliest investors in Deiska, they were willing to print the catalogue cheaply. Deiska is not just providing assistance in practical matters with which artists have to cope, Deiska also has a huge network of followers, investors and friends. Artists can benefit from this network and make new contacts more easily. So Deiska is a community of artists, investors, and other art related professional contacts as well. Since 2003 I have had a number of gallery shows in Holland, and recently I have done some projects in Germany. I had some questions about taxes and selling abroad, but Donna Wolf, with her background as a business executive, is always ready to answer my questions exactly and immediately. Each year she handles all my tax matters without even the slightest headache. Since Donna has been heading Deiska , Deiska had been popping up with new exhibitions in central hotspots in Amsterdam. A number of my works are part of the collection and are exhibited off and on in these shows. For an artist being a part of a big collection is a good thing in itself, which generates new publicity and contacts. I hope Deiska will grow bigger in the coming years, creating new opportunities for artists, and helping them out in practical matters. comments by artist Frans van Tartwijk

[ D is Ka ]

Follow your Art

What our investors say:

Deiska is worth recommending! The innovative economic concept of Deiska triggered me to look into the set up. Looking at Deiska means looking at the art- collection and that was the second positive trigger. Exciting and a wonderful variety of works were brought together. Third trigger are the community of people involved. Artists and collectors are bonded via komt Deiska, and they also turned out to be great people. Ok last trigger is the heart and soul of the group: Donna and her team!!
comments by investor Floor van Spaendonck

[ D is Ka ]
What the public says:

Follow your Art

It was in 2005 that I first met Donna Wolf, managing director of the DeIska & de Verzameling. And I was immediately impressed by the DeIska-initiative to create a contemporary art collection on basis of a multiple collaboration with artists, private investors and art lovers under supervision of a selection committee formed by experts of the contemporary art scene such as art historians, curators, gallery owners and art critics. Although nowadays initiatives of the cultural world themselves are more than ever welcome or even necessary due to the fact that the government counts no longer as a reliable partner when it comes to finance, the various goals of DeIska are multiple. Established already in 2002, the concept of DeIska stands for what we call in Dutch Dienst is Kunst that is synonym to Service is an Art. DeIska provides the selected artists with business service and support (i.e. administration, legal support, studio space) in exchange of an artwork. The art works brought together in this way form the DeIska collection, which is lent out to the investors of the DeIska fund for display in their home or office. A wide range of media, from photography, painting, sculpture, video art, installations to drawings forms already a part of the DeIska collection. As a follower, the interaction between artists, investors and art lovers seems to me the most attractive part of this initiative, because it is the best way to know more about contemporary art and its creators, but not the only one. For the selected artists it is important that DeIska converts, as a kind of art nomad, throughout Amsterdam vacant buildings into exciting exhibition spaces while giving the selected artists a platform to show their art. For there is no doubt; art needs to be seen. In this way DeIska constitutes a step into the spotlights for (international) upcoming young talent and functions as a platform in post-war art. Invitations to all DeIska events (exhibitions, lectures, atelier visits) brings me as an art lover in a personal and special way in contact with a lively contemporary art scene. comments by follower Pauli Snoeks (M.A. Art History)