Inside the Collection: Kai Tan on Community and the Art of Hospitality

At the intersection of art, design, and hospitality stands Kai Tan, collector, investor, and Co-Founder of Dean Group, a lifestyle hospitality collection redefining what it means to experience culture through place. From Dublin to Berlin and soon Miami, Kai’s vision reaches far beyond hotel stays; it’s about creating living environments where art, design, and community coexist as part of the social fabric.

Educated at Harvard and Cornell, and drawing on experience at Starwood Capital and Sydell Group, Kai combines commercial insight with cultural sensitivity. Under his leadership, Dean Group has grown from its Dublin origins into an international portfolio of hotels defined by unique character—each designed as an authentic conversation with its community and sense of place.

Within this framework, art plays a central role. Dean Group integrates contemporary art into every property, commissioning permanent collections and collaborating with local museums, city councils, and a network of curators who act as cultural explorers—uncovering new voices, building partnerships, and connecting each hotel to the creative pulse of its singular environment.

For Kai, collecting is not about acquisition but connection—with artists, cultures, and ideas. “A friend’s work is always the most meaningful,” he shares. His approach reflects a belief that art and hospitality together can create spaces that inspire belonging, dialogue, and appreciation rather than exclusivity.

In this conversation with Whitewall, conducted at The Leinster in Dublin—one of Dean Group’s flagship properties—Kai discusses the evolution of his collecting philosophy, the responsibilities of cultural patronage today, and how his hotels serve as platforms for creativity, community, and the quiet power of art to transform how we experience the world.

WHITEWALL: What first drew you into collecting art, and how has your approach evolved over the years?

KAI TAN: A friend’s work is always the most meaningful. I really see my collecting journey as an accumulation of friendships and relationships, about meeting the people behind the work. What matters most to me is understanding the person and their process.

Whenever possible, I try to meet the artist before acquiring a work, so spend time with them and understand their story. Over time, my approach has deepened increasingly toward that personal connection: getting to know the human narrative behind the art.

My focus has also expanded toward support. If I take a step back from the personal and look at the hotels and the business side, we have a unique opportunity: every hotel we build acquires a permanent collection. We dedicate funds specifically for that purpose. Rather than saying, “Let’s just buy four hundred works and have someone fill the walls,” we treat each property as its own narrative, as a way to give back to the community.

“We treat each property as its own narrative, as a way to give back to the community,”

Kai Tan

So our guiding question is always: where are we building, which market are we entering, and how can we support the local artistic community? It’s about how we can contribute to the cultural ecosystem we’re becoming part of.

Fusing Hospitality and Art

WW: At Dean Group, you’ve created spaces where contemporary art is part of everyday life. How do you see the relationship between hospitality and art?

KT: We try our best to be active contributors. Collecting and placing art in our properties is just the first step; it’s the foundation, but also only a fraction of what’s possible. What truly matters is how we continue to nurture those relationships within the community.

For example, I was with the city council this morning discussing upcoming cultural initiatives. We’re involved in activations that support not only art but also events like Irish Fashion Week and other local programs. We host these industries in our hotels, so it feels only natural that we should support them in return.

Ultimately, it’s about the social fabric—giving back to the community that surrounds us. We also collaborate with local museums, creating symbiotic relationships that benefit everyone. That’s what our guests are looking for as well: a genuine cultural experience. There’s a win–win everywhere when you engage deeply with the creative life of a city.

Championing Artistic and Cultural Ecosystems

WW: You’re expanding internationally, including to Miami. In your view, what responsibilities do collectors and patrons carry today in supporting artists and fostering cultural ecosystems?

KT: Hoteliers play a huge role. As I mentioned earlier, it’s about contributing to the social fabric; you can’t build a hotel in a vacuum anymore. The world has moved on from those “big box” conference hotels. Today, people want spaces that foster genuine community and connection.

Arts and culture lie at the heart of every city’s identity, and hoteliers have to think carefully about how they give back to that ecosystem. It goes far beyond hanging something beautiful on a wall. What we’re trying to do is support the emerging art scene and provide artists with a platform, a stage if you will.

“Arts and culture lie at the heart of every city’s identity,”

Kai Tan

We already have a captive audience. On one hand, we can showcase artists’ work to the public; on the other, we can invite artists and their peers to inhabit our spaces. We want them to feel that these venues belong to them too—places to gather, exchange ideas, and celebrate their work.

Too many hoteliers still see art as decoration. For me, art is much more than that; it’s a living force that brings energy, emotion, and meaning into everything we do.

A Spirited Art and Design Dialogue

WW: How do you approach design in relation to art within your hotels?

KT: We see interior design as an art form in itself. When we select designers, it’s not necessarily because they have experience working with artists. I believe in having multiple creative voices in the room. That dialogue, and sometimes tension, adds depth and distinction. We deliberately look for that dynamic; we don’t want the art to disappear into the designer’s concept. We want harmony, yes, but also a touch of friction. That’s what creates intrigue, emotion, and texture.

Of course, it has to be balanced. It can’t be opposition for its own sake. But when it’s right, that dialogue between art and design gives the space its vitality. It makes the hotel feel truly alive.

Making Art Accessible for All

WW: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of collecting and patronage?

KT: For me, it’s all about giving artists a voice and providing a platform. I hope Dean Group becomes a lightning rod for emerging artists in every city we enter.

We source works through galleries, directly from artists, and through connections in the wider creative community. It’s a diverse and organic process. I believe the concept of collecting is shifting. Instead, it’s moving from ownership toward appreciation.

There’s still a stigma around fine art being inaccessible or exclusive. What we’re trying to do is break those barriers. Art doesn’t have to belong to a privileged few; it’s part of the social fabric. You don’t have to own it to appreciate it.

“Art doesn’t have to belong to a privileged few; it’s part of the social fabric,”

Kai Tan

If someone sees a work on a hotel wall, reads the label, and follows that artist on Instagram—that’s already impact. Maybe they’ll buy a piece one day, or maybe they’ll simply keep that connection. Either way, art becomes part of daily life.

That’s the legacy I hope for: one where our hotels, in their own way, make art more visible, more accessible, and more deeply appreciated by everyone.