ARTISTIC ADVENTURES:
8 of the world’s most influential art fairs and where to stay when you visit
As well as offering an overview of today’s market, these cultural flagships help to shape the future of contemporary art through bold commissions, challenging conversations, and provocative curation. Featuring blue-chip masterpieces alongside emerging talent, and access to the world’s leading gallerists, they offer far more than acquisition opportunities alone.
FRIEZE SEOUL
South Korea
Frieze returns to COEX in Gangnam from 3 to 6 September 2025, bringing together 120 leading galleries from more than 30 countries. Now in its fourth edition, the fair has rapidly become a cornerstone of Asia’s cultural calendar thanks in part to its ongoing partnership with the well-established fair Kiaf SEOUL. This year’s programme includes Frieze Masters, Focus Asia, and Frieze Live, alongside late-night openings across glittering gallery districts such as Euljiro, Hannam, and Cheongdam. Returning exhibitors include Gagosian, David Zwirner, and Kukje Gallery, while newcomers such as The Breeder, Carvalho Park, and Kaikai Kiki Gallery reflect the fair’s growing global reach. frieze.com
WHERE TO STAY Josun Palace is a slick, contemporary option with a sprawling indoor pool and three restaurants, including South Korean fine diner Eatanic Garden.
ART BASEL PARIS
France
From 24 to 26 October 2025, Art Basel Paris returns to the newly restored Grand Palais for its fourth edition. With 205 galleries from 41 countries (including 28 first-time participants), the fair is rapidly establishing itself as a major cultural force in the French capital. Organised across three sectors – Galeries, Emergence, and Premise – it showcases the full spectrum of contemporary practice, from blue-chip names to the most compelling curatorial experiments. A deep integration with France’s creative industries ensures the fair’s impact ripples far beyond the venue with events, exhibitions, and collaborations unfolding across the city. artbasel.com
WHERE TO STAY Rosewood Hôtel de Crillon is in the magnificent building where Marie Antoinette spent her teenage years. The Signature Suites have Eiffel Tower views.
THE ARMORY SHOW
USA
New York’s premier contemporary fair returns to the Javits Center, Manhattan, between 5 and 8 September 2025. This year’s edition welcomes back major players like White Cube and Esther Schipper, while debuting top-tier newcomers such as Skarstedt and Megan Mulrooney, whose dreamlike paintings blend playfulness with provocation. Dealer Ebony L. Haynes, senior director at David Zwirner, curates Function, a new section exploring the boundary between art and design, while Souls Grown Deep – a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Black artists from the American South – leads the Platform programme of large-scale works. Focused, rigorous, and distinctly American in pace and outlook, The Armory Show continues to set the tone for the art world’s autumn season. thearmoryshow.com
WHERE TO STAY Aman New York brings Japanese-inspired calm to the Art Deco Crown Building, with a three-floor spa and speakeasy Jazz Club frequented by world-class musicians.
ART X LAGOS
Nigeria
Returning to the Federal Palace in Lagos from 6 to 9 November 2025, Art X Lagos marks its tenth edition with the theme ‘Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide’ – an exploration of how both individuals and communities can exercise agency in cultivating healthier urban environments. Directed by entrepreneur and collector Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, the fair has grown into a cornerstone of Africa’s contemporary art scene. Highlights include special commissions by J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere, Nengi Omuku, and Temitayo Ogunbiyi, alongside dynamic programming across film, music, and literature. Curated by Toronto-based Missla Libsekal, the special projects explore heritage, urban space, and the politics of imagination. artxlagos.com
WHERE TO STAY The Delborough offers a contemporary take on Nigerian luxury in a sculptural building a short stroll from excellent beaches.
ZONA MACO
Mexico
Celebrating its 22nd edition in 2026, Zona Maco returns to Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City from 4 to 8 February. As Latin America’s leading art fair, it brings together top galleries from across the region alongside exhibitors from the US and Europe. The fair spans contemporary art,
design, antiques, photo-graphy, and publishing, with curated sections that showcase both established names and emerging voices. Its 2025 edition featured standout presentations in Zona Maco Diseño and the Foto
section, with a growing international presence. Expect CDMX to once again host a vibrant art week that draws collectors, curators, and artists from across the globe – and as one would expect in this fun-loving city, the after-parties are as much of a draw as the art. zonamaco.com
WHERE TO STAY Soho House Mexico City has an impressive art collection and just four suites overlooking a pool where the city’s top creative talent networks.
ART BASEL
Switzerland
The biggest contemporary art fair in the world, Art Basel, will once again see the global art world convene in Messe Basel between 18 and 21 June. While full details are yet to be released, this year’s edition featured more than 200 galleries and 4,000 artists from five continents, including German artist Katharina Grosse, who spray-painted the Messeplatz with pink and white. Programming highlights included inter
views with collector Grażyna Kulczyk and artist Frida Orupabo, while Unlimited and Parcours saw museum-scale works spring up throughout this sedate Swiss city. Tickets for the 2026 show will be released in early spring. artbasel.com
WHERE TO STAY Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois has perched on the banks of the Rhine for more than three centuries. Its restaurant, Cheval Blanc, holds three Michelin stars.
ART DUBAI
UAE
Art Dubai returns between 17 and 19 April as the Middle East’s most significant international fair. Held at Madinat Jumeirah, the 2025 edition welcomed over 100 galleries, with highlights including first-time participants Bortolami, Richard Saltoun, and Galeria RGR. The 2026 fair will span four key sections: Contemporary, Modern, Digital, and Bawwaba Extended – a new section dedicated to interdisciplinary practices curated by Amal Khalaf and Alexie Glass-Kantor. Also debuting is Zamaniyyat, a scholarly platform dedicated to global modernisms, curated by art historian Dr. Sarah A. Rifky. A nexus for innovation, digital practice, and cultural exchange, Art Dubai continues to shape the region’s rapidly evolving creative landscape. artdubai.ae
WHERE TO STAY One & Only The Palm has all the dazzle one would expect from a top Dubai address. Suites have views of the private beach and Persian Gulf beyond.
VENICE BIENNALE
Italy
From 9 May to 22 November 2026 (and the preview between 6 and 8 May), the 61st International Art Exhibition unfolds across the Giardini, the Arsenale, and atmospheric palazzi throughout Venice. Titled ‘In Minor Keys’ – a theme conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh – next year’s show will draw on music as metaphor, inviting reflections on joy, melancholy, hope, and transcendence through contemporary art. With over 80 national pavilions and a new partnership with Bulgari, the Biennale remains the most poetic and powerful expression of cultural dialogue on the global stage. labiennale.org
WHERE TO STAY Palazzo Garzoni has four apartments hand-painted by the artist who created the scenery for the Royal Opera House and views over the Grand Canal.
