Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Partner With Bonhams on Artist Resale Royalty Program

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are teaming with Bonhams on a voluntary resale royalty initiative designed to give artists a share of the value generated when their work returns to the auction market.

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, who have built the Dean Collection over more than two decades, are partnering with Bonhams on a new program called Deans’ Choice. The initiative is expected to debut around the auction house’s marquee New York sales in November, according to The Art Newspaper.

The program gives consignors the option to direct a portion of a work’s hammer price back to the artist when the work is resold. Participants can commit at least 1% of the hammer price or $500, whichever is greater, with Bonhams matching the chosen percentage.

The idea reflects a long-running concern for Keys and Swizz Beatz, whose collecting work has centered on supporting living artists and expanding visibility for Black artists. Swizz Beatz has discussed versions of a “Dean Choice” resale model for years, with the couple drawing on their own experience in music, where royalty structures can continue compensating creators after an initial release.

Bonhams chief executive Seth Johnson said the auction house built the effort around a shared mission with the Deans and wants the program to have a real financial impact. The model remains voluntary, but the aim is to create a straightforward option for sellers who want artists to participate in the upside of secondary-market sales.

The rollout also arrives as the Dean Collection continues to expand its public footprint. Keys and Swizz Beatz have presented major exhibitions drawn from their holdings, including works by prominent Black and diasporic artists across photography, painting and sculpture.

For the couple, the Bonhams partnership brings their advocacy directly into the mechanics of the auction business. If collectors embrace Deans’ Choice in November, it could provide a visible test of whether voluntary resale payments can gain traction in a U.S. market where broad artist resale royalty rules have struggled to take hold.

More News, Is JAY-Z and Swizz Beatz Collaborating for New Album?