Functional Transformation and Value Reconstruction of Art Intermediaries in the Digital Age

Abstract

Against the backdrop of digital technology reshaping the art ecosystem, art intermediaries, as the core hub connecting art production, dissemination, and consumption, have seen their traditional functional boundaries broken, ushering in a systemic transformation. Supported by art intermediary theory, the cultural diamond model, and stakeholder theory, and combined with practical cases of public art foundations in mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau, this paper analyzes the transformation characteristics of art intermediaries in the digital age from three dimensions—resource allocation, value construction, and relationship coordination—in terms of functional positioning, operational mechanisms, and value orientation. The study finds that digital technology not only drives art intermediaries to achieve de-layering of resource allocation, precision in value dissemination, and flattening of relationship networks, but also triggers new challenges such as the reconstruction of intermediary authority, digital divide, and ethical dilemmas. In this context, art intermediaries need to build collaborative governance mechanisms, strengthen digital literacy, and uphold the bottom line of publicness, so as to realize a value reconstruction from "gatekeeper" to "ecosystem builder," providing support for the virtuous cycle of the art ecosystem.