Art market ticked up
The 2026 Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report finds the global art market grew 4% in 2025 to about $59.6 billion — but warns of a ‘structural reset’ under the headline numbers. (observer.com) Basel Miami Beach 2026 is being framed as the focal point for collectors and galleries navigating shifting buying habits and models. (observer.com)
Public auction sales climbed 9% in 2025 to about $20.7 billion while the dealer sector recorded roughly $34.8 billion, highlighting a shift in value toward secondary-market transactions. (d2u3kfwd92fzu7.cloudfront.net) Online art and antiques sales contracted to $9.2 billion in 2025, their lowest level since 2019, representing roughly 15% of the market by value. (barnebys.com) The United States remained the dominant national market in 2025, accounting for roughly 44% of global sales and around $24.8 billion in art sales. (singulart.com) The United Kingdom reclaimed second place with about $10.5 billion in sales (an 18% share), while China ranked third with approximately $8.5 billion in sales. (theartmarket.artbasel.com) The rebound was concentrated at the top end, with major second‑half auction results driving auction growth even as the 2025 market remained below the 2022 peak of $67.8 billion. (artbasel.com) Women reached parity in primary‑market gallery representation (50%) and accounted for 45% of artists represented across dealers, with works by female artists making up about 37% of sales by value. (ubs.com) Art fair sales increased 4% year‑on‑year and represented 35% of dealer turnover in 2025, their highest share since 2022 and a sign of fairs’ renewed importance to gallery revenue. (ubs.com)
