How much does art leasing cost for a business?

A curated six-piece collection of commissioned hand-painted originals typically leases for NZ$149-450 per month on a 12-month minimum term, including commissioning, framing, delivery and a placement plan.

Is leased art tax deductible?

For most businesses, art lease payments are treated as an operating expense rather than a capital purchase — unlike bought artwork, which generally can't be depreciated in NZ. Confirm the treatment for your situation with your accountant.

What happens at the end of the lease term?

You choose: renew and keep the collection, refresh some or all pieces with a newly curated set, or exercise the buyout option quoted with your plan. Or simply return it.

Art leasing for businesses: how it works and what it costs

Galleries want you to buy. Your accountant — and your walls — usually prefer that you lease.

The problem with buying art for a business

A properly curated set of originals for a lobby or office floor costs NZ$8,000–20,000 from galleries — a capital purchase that (in New Zealand) generally can't be depreciated, dates along with your fit-out, and becomes a disposal headache at refurbishment. So most spaces end up with the fourth option: nothing, posters, or the framing shop's leftovers. Guests and clients notice.

How commissioned art leasing works

Instead of buying, you lease a collection commissioned specifically for your space. The sequence: a curation designs the set for your walls (subjects, styles, palette, exact sizes); professional artists paint the originals to those specifications; the collection arrives framed with a placement plan; and you pay one monthly fee for as long as you keep it, with a 12-month minimum term. The leasing house owns the art — you get the walls of a far more expensive business.

What it costs

A six-piece commissioned collection — hand-painted originals, framed, delivered, placement-planned — typically leases for NZ$149–450 per month depending on scale and complexity. For comparison, that's usually less than a commercial plant-hire contract, for the single element visitors most associate with quality.

The accounting angle

Lease payments are, for most businesses, an operating expense — a predictable monthly line item rather than capital tied up on the wall. Bought artwork, by contrast, is typically a non-depreciable asset in NZ. The difference matters enough that many firms lease art purely on their accountant's advice. (This is general information, not tax advice — confirm your treatment with your accountant.)

End of term: renew, refresh, buy out, or return

After the minimum term you're in control: keep the collection at the same monthly rate, swap pieces for a refreshed curation (spaces evolve; art should too), exercise the buyout option quoted upfront, or return the set. No other wall investment offers that flexibility.

See your space with its collection — free

Upload one photo. Get the curated six-piece collection, visuals of your actual walls with the art hanging, and your monthly lease quote. First curation free.

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FAQ

Is the art original or prints?

Hand-painted originals, commissioned from professional artists to the exact specifications of your curation. Not prints, not reproductions of existing works.

What if a piece is damaged?

Normal display wear is expected and covered; accidental damage is handled case by case in the lease agreement, the same way commercial furniture leases work.

Can I lease for multiple spaces?

Yes — each space gets its own curation, and multi-space collections are quoted together so the whole property reads as one collection.