What: The Economist reports that art-fair fatigue is spreading as major fairs rose from about 55 in 2000 to 370 in 2025, with collectors culling their calendars and dealers struggling with higher shipping and booth costs.

Why it is important: Art Basel's CEO expects a move from global to regional fairs, with more local galleries and artists, which would change where art-market activity concentrates.

Art collectors follow a seasonal circuit that runs through Frieze in London, Art Basel Paris in October, Miami in December, Maastricht in March, New York in May and Basel in June, with further fairs in Doha, Hong Kong and Seoul. There were 370 major art fairs in 2025, up from around 55 in 2000, and advisers now speak of art-fair fatigue. Art Basel Paris closed two days early because of planned protests.

Costs weigh on dealers. Gallerist Thaddaeus Ropac says shipping costs are triple their pre-covid level, and unsold works must be shipped back. Art Basel charges around $29,000 for its smallest booth and more than $177,000 for the largest, with large-exhibitor prices per square metre 32% higher in real terms than in 2018. Sculptures and lower-priced items such as many photographs rarely make financial sense at fairs.

Collectors cite crowds and are culling their calendars, and some Americans skipped Frieze to attend only Art Basel Paris. Art Basel launched a VVIP preview, Avant-Première. Its CEO, Noah Horowitz, describes a move from globalism to regionalisation, and some gallerists expect fewer fairs and more local collectors.

IADS Notes: Art Basel's new VVIP preview and the shift toward more local programming have counterparts among department stores that bring art and top-tier access onto their own premises. John Lewis is opening Clarendon Fine Art galleries in three stores, selling work from artists including LS Lowry and Picasso alongside contemporary names (Retail Week, September 2026). Samaritaine tied a limited-edition retail space to JR's Pont Neuf installation to lift footfall (WWD, June 2026), while Manor Lausanne hosts temporary façade installations that involve local artists and a recurring competition for future projects (24heures, January 2026). On access for top clients, John Lewis trialled a loyalty-members lounge at its Oxford Street store over the Christmas period (Drapers, November 2025), and Lotte reserves luxury cruise holidays for its Avenuel VIP tiers (Maeil Business Newspaper, October 2026).

Art fairs face fatigue as costs rise and collectors cut their calendars