10 Essential Art Fairs for Collectors of All Stages

Bringing together hundreds—sometimes thousands—of artworks and visitors in one location, art fairs offer the best opportunity to see a snapshot of the art market today.

Fairs come in all shapes and sizes, from a few dozen to hundreds of exhibitors. The prices of works on offer vary, with accessible options at fairs like New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) and multimillion-dollar, blue-chip masterpieces at Art Basel.

Collectors eager to purchase will undoubtedly have more than enough inventory to choose from no matter the fair. Buyers and non-buyers alike can self-educate, discover new artists and galleries, or simply spend a few hours looking at art.

Most art fairs also organize a range of programming—including panels and talks with dealers, artists, and collectors—to expand the visitor’s experience beyond browsing or buying. Whether you’re looking to fill your walls, build a collection, or encounter some new art, there is a fair somewhere in the world that will fit your needs and tastes.

Here is our pick of 10 art fairs for collectors of all stages.

Founded in 1970 in Basel, Art Basel is the global leader in art fairs. With events in Basel, Hong Kong, Miami Beach, and Paris, the fair showcases coveted works by the most influential names in modern and contemporary art, as well as rising stars of the industry.

Global powerhouses like Hauser & Wirth and Gagosian frequent the fair’s many editions annually, exhibiting alongside promising smaller and mid-level galleries. While the high cost of exhibiting at Art Basel and the prospect of reaching wealthy clients means dealers typically bring high-value, blue-chip works, it’s not uncommon to find gems under $10,000.

The fair atmosphere varies between each location. The Basel edition, for example, draws seasoned collectors, curators, and academics. Its tone is more serious compared to the Miami Beach event, which attracts a range of collectors, celebrities, and art enthusiasts equally excited for the parties as they are for the art.

Founded in London in 2003, Frieze is among the top platforms for veteran buyers and burgeoning collectors to collect the newest and best works by mid-career and established modern and contemporary artists.

The fair takes place in London, with both Frieze London and Frieze Masters (its edition dedicated to significant works from antiquities to the late 20th century), as well as in Los Angeles, New York, and Seoul. Each edition features prominent and mid-level galleries from across the world as well as a host of regional exhibitors.

In 2023, Frieze purchased EXPO Chicago and The Armory Show in New York, expanding its U.S. repertoire. Prices for works can reach the millions, but visitors can also find a healthy selection under $10,000. The rare and blue-hip nature of Frieze Masters, however, means that edition’s presentations are unlikely to be as budget-friendly, though they will surely satisfy the art history buff.

A storied entity founded in 1988, the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) presents annual fairs in the Dutch city of Maastricht and New York, bringing together museum-quality works of art, antiques, and design. While the scope of the Maastricht edition spans millennia (the fair boasts works from “over 7,000 years of art history”), the New York version focuses more on modern and contemporary art and design.

The Maastricht fair is also three times the size of the American version, with 270 prominent dealers in 2024 compared to 90 in New York. Visitors looking to discover emerging artists might not be successful at either fair, but the occasional mid-level figure can be found interspersed among art historical giants like Pablo Picasso and Edvard Munch.

One of the oldest fairs in New York, The Armory Show is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with more than 235 exhibitors from over 30 countries filling the sprawling Javits Center in Midtown. Newly part of Frieze’s network, The Armory Show boasts an equally impressive roster of exhibitors, including prominent dealers like Sean Kelly Gallery, as well as younger and emerging names such as Rebecca Camacho Presents.

The fair is less of a blue-chip affair than events like Art Basel and instead hovers closer to the middle of the market, welcoming budding collectors and seasoned buyers alike.

The large venue affords The Armory Show ample space to showcase large-scale and site-specific works in the Platform section, a refreshing opportunity to see aspects of an artist’s practice that might not fit a smaller art fair model.

Taking place in Mexico City, Zona Maco is Latin America’s largest art fair and has grown in its over 20 years alongside the vibrant contemporary art scene in the city. While exhibitors hail from around the world, Zona Maco presents a strong cohort of Latin American dealers, including emerging and mid-level figures as well as local leaders like kurimanzutto and OMR.

The artists on view reflect a similar scale and center on the middle of the market. Since its founding in 2002, Zona Maco has added events devoted to design, antiquities, and photography, taking place over a week of art happenings in the Mexican capital. Particularly noteworthy is the fair’s Sur section, focused on artists from or engaging with the Global South.

The world’s largest art fair for prints and editions, the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) Print Fair brings together rare pieces by art historical figures like Albrecht Dürer and the newest editions from contemporary superstars like Julie Mehretu.

Located in the historic Park Avenue Armory on the Upper East Side, the fair showcases publishers such as Two Palms and Mixografia and dealers from around the world who bring with them works at a range of prices. Works on view include affordable editions under $10,000, as well as coveted and technical masterpieces priced in the hundreds of thousands.

With this range, the IFPDA is an ideal fair for collectors at all levels, and the welcoming dealers are experts in the field eager to educate on the art of printmaking.

Founded in 2002, the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is a collective of contemporary art professionals. Its fairs take place in Miami Beach and New York, with a recent popup in Warsaw and an inaugural edition in Paris this fall.

NADA showcases emerging and mid-level galleries exhibiting contemporary works by young artists and promising talent. The presentations tend to be more avant-garde and experimental than those at other fairs, and visitors can expect a broader range of materials and disciplines than just paintings and works on paper, creating an exciting and at times quirky atmosphere.

With younger galleries and artists, NADA also attracts younger collectors, as well as established patrons looking to spot new names in contemporary art at lower price points.

The Middle East’s leading international art fair, Art Dubai presents a diverse mix of modern and contemporary art. The fair also includes a unique Digital section that explores new media and technology, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and works created using artificial intelligence.

In its nearly 20 years, the fair helped establish the rapidly growing city of Dubai as a cultural center and connect the Middle East with the global art scene. Exhibitors have included dealers from the region and international veterans like Templon, who exhibit works by emerging and mid-level artists, as well as blue-chip pieces by noteworthy figures.

While showcasing an international grouping, Art Dubai gives an important platform for underrepresented artists from the Global South, providing a great opportunity to discover new artists and diversify one’s collection.

Founded in 2014 in Shanghai’s rapidly evolving West Bund district, West Bund Art & Design has become a significant annual event to showcase modern and contemporary art and design in China.

The fair brings together a diverse mix of top-tier international exhibitors and mid-level local galleries, giving mega-dealers like White Cube and Pace Gallery a chance to meet local collectors while also introducing Chinese exhibitors to an international audience.

Prices span an equally broad range, with several works under $20,000, as well as many six-figure and blue-chip pieces. In addition to local collectors and visitors from nearby regions, West Bund Art & Design draws collectors, dealers, and curators from around the world. The fair is part of the Shanghai International Art Festival that also includes the ART021 fair, which offers a similarly international scope of galleries and artworks.