Fairs — OIMAP

The market in one weekend

Scenes of Witchcraft: Morning, Salvator Rosa (c. 1645–49)

Contemporary art fairs bring together hundreds of galleries and tens of thousands of visitors in a few days. They account for 41% of galleries' sales and have become the market's main meeting place.

There are 380 fairs in the world in 2024, including 54 leading fairs. The largest are held in Basel, Paris, Miami, Hong Kong and London.

This page describes how a fair works, good practices and precautions to take.

Fairs
Calendar
Exhibitors

Fairs in figures

380Fairs worldwide

54Leading fairs

41%Share of galleries' sales

4.2MVisitors in 2024

Source: OIMAP Observatory.

Breakdown

Europe38%

Asia-Pacific27%

North America25%

Other regions10%

Breakdown of leading fairs.

How a fair works

A fair is organised by a company, which selects galleries on application, assigns them a booth and sets the conditions of participation. Galleries pay a substantial rent and agree to show their best pieces.

The first day is reserved for guests, collectors and curators, who get first pick. The following days are open to the general public. Many sales are concluded in the first hours.

Mirror with Concentric Circles (late 300s BCE–50 CE)

Silk fragment with scrolling vines, grape leaves, grapes, and birds (1325–50)

Buying at a fair: advantages and risks

Fairs offer considerable choice, the chance to compare prices, meet artists and negotiate directly. They are also a place of pressure: the speed of sales, the presence of competitors and the atmosphere sometimes lead people to buy without taking time to think.

A few simple precautions are enough: systematically ask for the certificate, check the gallery's identity, note the booth number, and pay only after receiving a detailed invoice.

The impact of fairs on prices

The concentration of buyers and sellers for a few days creates a particular dynamic. Prices displayed at fairs often reflect a high level of demand, and some artists see their prices soar there.

This dynamic also has effects on the secondary market: works shown at fairs are resold faster and with greater visibility. Savvy collectors therefore follow fair programmes to anticipate price movements.

A few leading fairs

Indicative calendar
Fair	Location	Period	Distinctive feature
Basel Fair	Basel	June	Large format and institutions
Paris Fair	Paris	October	Modern and contemporary art
Miami Fair	Miami	December	American market
Hong Kong Fair	Hong Kong	March	Asia-Pacific
London Fair	London	October	Emerging artists

Landmarks

1970
First modern fair
Birth of the format.
2000
Global fairs
Multiplication of venues.
2020
Online fairs
Response to the health crisis.
2024
380 fairs
Return of in-person events.

Works travelling to fairs

Physical fair or online fair

Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug, Adolphe-Félix Cals (1858)

Physical

Direct meeting

See the work in person
Meet the artist
Quick-decision atmosphere

For important works.

Vessel with Abstract Heads (100 BCE–700 CE)

Online

Remote viewing

Wider access
Easy comparison
Work not seen in person

For lower-value purchases.

Hercules and the Hydra (late 1500s-early 1600s)

Courtyard, Alhambra, Charles Clifford (1857–58)

Nini in the Garden (Nini Lopez), Auguste Renoir (1876)

Making the most of your fair visit

Prepare
Spot the galleries and artists.
Visit
Walk around and note the works.
Negotiate
Discuss price and conditions.
Document
Obtain certificate and invoice.
Organise
Plan transport and insurance.

Before buying at a fair

Ask for the price and the certificate
Take a photograph of the work and its label
Check the gallery in the directory
Sleep on it for 24 hours if possible
Plan transport insurance

An exhibitor

Water Transport Jar (1900s) — **Rachid Ouali**, exhibitor

Vocabulary of fairs

Booth: Space occupied by a gallery in a fair.
Opening: Opening reserved for guests.
Viewing room: Online viewing room.
Work passport: Digital file of the work.

Frequently asked questions

Are all the works shown at fairs for sale?

Most of them, unless stated otherwise.

Can I negotiate at a fair?

Yes, but within the limits of the gallery's policy.

How can I get to know the gallery?

In the directory of galleries.

Are there fairs outside Europe?

Yes, notably in Asia-Pacific and in America.

Useful documents

Contacts

Maharaja of Kotah Listening to Music and Watching Dancers (c. 1820)

OIMAP ObservatoryParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 01 00observatoire@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

Explore the galleries

The detail of galleries and dealers.

Galleries and dealers

Image credits (16)

Mirror with Concentric Circles and Linked Arcs (late 300s BCE–50 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Scenes of Witchcraft: Morning, Salvator Rosa (c. 1645–49) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Mirror with Concentric Circles (late 300s BCE–50 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Jonah Under the Gourd Vine (280–90 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Silk fragment with scrolling vines, grape leaves, grapes, and birds (1325–50) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug, Adolphe-Félix Cals (1858) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Vessel with Abstract Heads (100 BCE–700 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Hercules and the Hydra (late 1500s-early 1600s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Courtyard, Alhambra, Charles Clifford (1857–58) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Nini in the Garden (Nini Lopez), Auguste Renoir (1876) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Water Transport Jar (1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Maharaja of Kotah Listening to Music and Watching Dancers (c. 1820) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Prayer Niche (Mihrab) (c. 1500s or mid-1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Mirror with Concentric Circles, an Immortal, and Auspicious Animals (25–100 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Portrait of a Man, Possibly Sir Soulden Lawrence, John I Smart (1770) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Offering Table (305–30 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0