By Justine Chen
Art Basel, founded by gallerists in 1970, is one of the leading platforms dedicated to connecting collectors, galleries and artists,[1] primarily through the showcase of its prestigious international art fairs. In addition to its flagship event held each June in Basel, Switzerland, the organisation expanded to Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002, Art Basel Hong Kong in 2013, and Art Basel Paris in 2022.
The upcoming launch of Art Basel Qatar, slated for February 2026, signifies a landmark event, according to Financial Times.[2] As the US, UK and China continue to dominate the global art market, the addition of the newest location in the Middle East reflects a broader strategic shift toward economic and geographic diversification within the art world.
An analysis of the past five years of the Art Basel & UBS Art Market reports, a joint initiative between Art Basel and UBS designed to increase industry transparency, reveals a growing prominence of art fairs over gallery-based sales. Notably, the reports link this rise with the increasing share of dealer revenue generated at fairs and the influx of new client bases, often shaped by evolving regulatory and economic conditions.
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