A new website covering the art market has been launched by Artvest Partners and Art Market Research.

The site, www.artvest.com, focuses on art finance, art as an investment and the firm’s own advice and financial services.

It was designed to “assist collectors, dealers, wealth managers, institutions, art professionals and financial services providers in making well-informed decisions about art in the context of unique financial needs and goals,” according to a recent statement by Artvest.

As reported here on a number of occasions, the business of art investing has grown as people have looked to art as a relatively secure store of value - or so they hope - at a time of economic uncertainty and concerns about issues such as rising inflation. A number of fund firms now invest in the sector, such as Anthea Art Investment - based in Switzerland - and Fine Art Wealth Management.

Artvest said its site will include a series of sector indices created as a joint venture with Art Market Research and covering Old Master & 19th century painting; impressionist and modern art, post-war  and contemporary art, and American art pre-1950.

The indices are based on worldwide auction sales.