Art Basel launches Basel Exclusive in Basel, Switzerland; In-person drive amid 15% online share in 2025
Art Basel launches Basel Exclusive in Basel, Switzerland; In-person drive amid 15% online share in 2025 Art Market Report: Are experiences the new luxury good? | Art Basel During the pandemic, online art sales boomed. With galleries shuttered and fairs canceled, the value of online sales doubled even as the market contracted, reaching 25% of the global art market in 2020. This surge, born of necessity, was greater than seen in other industries, as the art trade scrambled to build a digital infrastructure that was already commonplace in mainstream retail. Six years on, the direction of travel has significantly changed. In 2025, after a third straight year of decline, online sales accounted for just 15% of the market according to The Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report , authored by Dr. Clare McAndrew of Arts Economics. The highest-value sales have returned to in-person settings, and collectors want to be at the heart of the action once more. They want a studio visit, a dinner beneath an ancient Egyptian temple, a weekend on Menorca. ...