Observe · Regulate · Protect — since 2007. 19th OIMAP General Assembly: Singapore, 10–12 June 2026. Programme
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for the Art Market and Heritage
24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Activities

Digital Market Forum

The annual meeting of online art sales professionals: two days, around 1,200 participants and 60 speakers.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

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The Dance at the Court of Herod, Israhel van Meckenem (c. 1500)Forum programmePlenaries, practical workshops and presentations spread over two days: the schedule of the Forum on the digital market.› Gathering among the Members of Office Censor-General (1700s)Forum speakersSixty speakers from administrations, platforms, universities and auction houses: who speaks, and how they are chosen.› Boy with Anchor, Winslow Homer (1873)Forum replayWatch the Forum sessions again free of charge for twelve months: access, formats, subtitles, materials and reuse.›

The online art market under debate

Twilight in the Wilderness, Frederic Edwin Church (1860)
Twilight in the Wilderness, Frederic Edwin Church (1860)

Each year, OIMAP brings together for two days the players in online art sales: platforms, auction houses, galleries, authorities, researchers and lawyers. The Forum gathers around 1,200 participants and 60 speakers around a theme that changes every year.

The debates cover traceability, authentication, payments, digital tokens linked to artworks, consumer protection and the fight against forgeries.

This section presents the programme, the speakers and the replay.

  • Forum
  • Digital
  • Art market

Forum on the digital market in figures

2Forum days
≈ 1,200Participants
60Speakers
12 monthsFree replay

Source: Events and Communications Directorate.

Three pages

Leaf from a Lectionary with St. Luke (1057–1063)Two daysProgramme

Sessions and workshops.

›Interior Drawer for Cabinet, André-Charles Boulle (c. 1690)60 voicesSpeakers

Who speaks and why.

›Coronation of the Virgin, Christoffel Jegher (1632–36)12 monthsReplay

Watch the sessions again.

›

Breakdown

Plenary sessions30% (indicative)
Practical workshops40% (indicative)
Presentations15% (indicative)
Networking15% (indicative)

Indicative format of the two days.

The birth of Rama and his brothers, from Chapter 17 of the Bala Kanda (Book of Childhood) of the Adhyatma Ramayana (Rama's Journey of the Su (c. 1820–30)
The birth of Rama and his brothers, from Chapter 17 of the Bala Kanda (Book of Childhood) of the Adhyatma Ramayana (Rama's Journey of the Su (c. 1820–30)
St. Anthony Reading, Albrecht Dürer (1519)
St. Anthony Reading, Albrecht Dürer (1519)
Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)
Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)

Why a forum dedicated to the digital market

The share of sales made online has risen sharply, and with it the risks: falsified works, uncertain provenance, misleading listings, payment fraud. The Forum offers a neutral place where platforms and authorities can talk and build common practices.

It feeds directly into OIMAP's work, notably the recommendations on online sales adopted by the General Assembly.

The Forum's audience

The Forum is aimed at market professionals, customs and administration officials, lawyers, curators, researchers and specialist journalists. Public officials attend free of charge; other participants pay fees of between €90 and €350 depending on the package.

Places are reserved for students and young professionals, by application, thanks to a scholarship fund.

A two-day format

The first day alternates plenary lectures and case studies. The second is more practical: workshops in small groups, presentations of authentication tools, meetings between platforms and administrations. An evening reception closes the first day.

The working languages are French, English and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation in plenary sessions. The Forum is held in person, with the plenaries streamed online.

Recurring themes

Four themes recur from one edition to the next: authentication of works sold remotely, traceability of transactions, buyer protection and cooperation between platforms and authorities. Each edition adds a current topic, chosen by the programme committee.

The Forum's work is linked to the Desk's services, in particular digital certification and the reporting of theft or loss.

Registration packages

Four packages
PackageAudiencePrice (indicative)
Public officialAdministrations, customsFree
Student or researcherOn proof of status€90
ProfessionalTwo days€250
Partner companyTwo days and evening reception€350

Milestones

  1. First edition

    One day, 300 participants (indicative).

  2. Two days

    Practical workshops.

  3. Hybrid format

    Online streaming.

  4. 12-month replay

    Free access.

The Victory Banquet: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of Rebellions in the Western Regions, with Imperial Poems (c. 1765–74; poem dated 1760)
The Victory Banquet: from Battle Scenes of the Quelling of Rebellions in the Western Regions, with Imperial Poems (c. 1765–74; poem dated 1760)
Winding Yarn (Interior of a Nantucket Kitchen), Eastman Johnson (1872)
Winding Yarn (Interior of a Nantucket Kitchen), Eastman Johnson (1872)
Woman Sitting Reading , Georges Lemmen (1905)
Woman Sitting Reading , Georges Lemmen (1905)

Registration

In person or online

Cabinet Plate, W. T. Copeland & Sons (1883)

In person

On site
  • Workshops and presentations
  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Evening reception

For networking and practice.

Portrait of John VIII Palaoelogus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (reverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)

Online

Live plenaries
  • No travel needed
  • Free replay
  • No workshops

To follow the essentials.

Taking part in the Forum

  1. Choose

    The right package.

  2. Register

    Online form.

  3. Compose

    Your workshop pathway.

  4. Take part

    Two days of work.

  5. Watch again

    The sessions on replay.

Before the Forum

A platform manager

Bowl with Chrysanthemums, Seifū Yohei IV (1914–46)
« The Forum allowed me to meet customs officers who see the consequences of our listings. We then changed our verification rules. »
Julien Marchand, compliance manager at a platform (example)

Vocabulary of the Forum

Platform
Online sales site.
Traceability
Tracking the history of a work.
Replay
Recording of a session.
Workshop
Hands-on session in a small group.

The programme committee

The programme is set by a committee of about a dozen people, made up of State representatives, academics, professionals and Organization staff. A call for proposals is opened each year for talks and workshops.

The committee ensures balance between regions, sectors and points of view, and publishes the selection criteria it applies.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Forum fee-paying?

Free for public officials, €90 to €350 otherwise.

Is there a replay?

Yes, free for 12 months.

Which languages?

French, English, Spanish.

Where can I see the programme?

Useful documents

Contacts

A Palace with an Arched Bridge (A Roman Villa), Hubert Robert (1760)
A Palace with an Arched Bridge (A Roman Villa), Hubert Robert (1760)
Events and Communications DirectorateParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 07 00evenements@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

See the programme

Bookplate: Boylston Medical Library, George Girdler Smith (1806–39)

Sessions, workshops and times.

Programme
Image credits (23)
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