Art fairs accounted for 35% of dealer sales in 2025, up from 31% a year earlier, while online-only sales fell to 15% of the market. Those figures come from the Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2026. The message for galleries is clear: collectors have gone back to buying in person, and the galleries that grow will be those that manage relationships deliberately.
The market in numbers
| Measure (2025) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Global art sales | $59.6 billion, up 4% |
| UK art sales | $10.5 billion, up 2% |
| UK share of global sales | 18% |
| Global dealer sales | $34.8 billion, up 2% |
| Public auction sales | Up 9% by value |
| Online sales | $9.2 billion, lowest since 2019 |
| Dealers reporting lower profit | 38% |
| Dealers expecting sales to improve in 2026 | 43% |
Growth has returned after two years of decline, but it is uneven. The top end recovered first. The middle market is where margins are thinnest, and that is where most independent galleries sit.
What this means for a gallery director
Three conclusions follow from the data.
Presence matters again. High-value decisions are being made at fairs, openings and viewings. Digital is how collectors discover and research. It is rarely where they commit.
Fairs are expensive growth. A rising share of sales through fairs also means rising stand, shipping and travel costs. Without a plan, a fair produces turnover and little profit.
Profit needs attention, not just sales. With more than a third of dealers reporting lower profit, pipeline discipline is a survival skill.
Build a collector pipeline
Most galleries hold their client knowledge in the director's head and a mailing list. That is a risk and a ceiling. A simple pipeline fixes both.
Segment your contacts into four groups:
- Active collectors who bought in the last 24 months.
- Lapsed collectors who bought before that.
- Engaged prospects who attend, enquire or follow closely but have not bought.
- Advisers and institutions who influence purchases.
For each person, record three things: what they respond to, their approximate budget range and the next planned contact. Review the list fortnightly. Every name gets an owner and a date.
Handle personal data lawfully and keep it secure. Collectors care about privacy.
Make fairs pay
Treat each fair as a three-part campaign.
Before. Six weeks out, send a personal preview to 40 named contacts with two or three works chosen for each. Book appointments on the stand. Aim to arrive with a third of your target already in conversation.
During. Capture every meaningful conversation the same day: name, interest, next step. One person on the stand owns this.
After. Follow up within 72 hours with images, prices and a specific suggestion. Most fair sales close in the fortnight afterwards, and most galleries follow up too slowly.
Then measure honestly. Total cost, sales at the fair, sales within 90 days, and new collectors acquired. Drop the fair that fails twice.
Use the gallery as an events venue
A private view is one format. Smaller ones often work harder.
- An artist breakfast for eight collectors.
- A collection-care evening with a conservator.
- A lunch for wealth managers and family office advisers.
- A first-time buyer evening with clear price points.
Each has a guest list built from the pipeline and a follow-up plan. An event without follow-up is hospitality, not business development.
Reach new buyers
The report notes that online remains an important channel for engaging new buyers, even as its share of value fell. Use digital for the top of the pipeline.
Publish prices or price ranges where you can. New collectors are put off by "price on application". Write short, plain texts about each artist. Make it easy to ask a question and get an answer within a day.
Offer a way in. Editions, works on paper and payment by instalment bring younger buyers into the gallery's world. Some will be your major collectors in ten years.
Build professional referral routes
Interior designers, architects, private client lawyers and wealth advisers all meet people with walls and budgets. Few galleries build these relationships on purpose.
Choose ten. Offer something useful: a private tour, a talk for their clients, a simple guide to buying art. Agree how introductions will work and keep to it.
Measure what matters
Track five numbers each quarter: sales by channel, gross margin by channel, new collectors, repeat purchase rate and average days from first enquiry to sale. They show where to spend next year's budget.
FAQs
Is the art market growing in 2026? Global sales rose 4% in 2025 to $59.6 billion after two years of decline, and 43% of dealers expected sales to improve in 2026.
Are online art sales declining? Online sales fell to $9.2 billion in 2025, about 15% of the market, as higher-value buying moved back to in-person channels.
Are art fairs worth it for small galleries? They can be, with pre-booked appointments and fast follow-up. Measure sales within 90 days against full cost.
How do galleries find new collectors? Through events, professional referrers, accessible entry-level works and clear information online.
Sources
- Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2026: global sales
- Artlyst: Art Basel and UBS report 2026 insights
- MyArtBroker: key trends from the 2026 report
- UBS: Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026
Next step: a MaverX Growth Audit maps your collector pipeline, channels and margin in one review.