Art Basel Paris 2026 to Feature 211 Exhibitors in First Edition Led by Karim Crippa

Art Basel Paris will take place at the Grand Palais from October 23 to 25, 2026, with Preview Days scheduled for October 21 and 22 and a public Vernissage on October 22. This fifth edition is the first under the leadership of director Karim Crippa, who has emphasized his commitment to strengthening the fair’s platform in dialogue with both the city of Paris and the international art community.

The 2026 fair will gather 211 exhibitors representing 41 countries and territories, distributed across three main sectors: Galeries, Emergence, and Premise. Nearly 30 galleries are participating for the first time, reflecting the fair’s ongoing expansion and international reach. More than 60 of this year’s exhibitors operate spaces in France, highlighting the depth and continuity of the French gallery ecosystem and its central role in shaping the fair’s identity.

A record 12 joint booth presentations will be featured, underscoring a growing culture of experimentation and collaboration among galleries. These joint booths introduce new formats for presenting art within the main sector, fostering innovation and cross-gallery dialogue.

The fair’s Public Program returns for its fifth edition, in partnership with leading Parisian institutions and with Miu Miu as the Official Partner. The signature rehang initiative, Oh La La!, will also return on October 23 and 24, led by a guest collaborator from outside the art world, further enriching the fair’s dynamic atmosphere.

Avant-Première, the invitation-only preview for galleries and their principal clients, will be held for its second edition on October 20. This event offers exclusive early access to the fair’s artworks and exhibitors prior to the public opening.

Karim Crippa has stated that the 2026 edition reflects both the vitality of the Paris art scene and the commitment of the international gallery community to the fair’s ongoing development. His focus is on continuing to build a platform shaped by Paris, for Paris, and in generative dialogue with the global art and cultural community.

The strong presence of French galleries at the fair underscores France’s central role in the international art market. According to the Art Basel & UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, sales in France reached USD 4.5 billion in 2025, a 9% increase from the previous year and a return to levels above those of 2019. France accounts for 8% of the global art market, ranking as the fourth-largest market worldwide and the largest in the European Union, representing more than half of the EU art market by value.

Art Basel Paris has become a defining platform that brings the strength of the French gallery ecosystem into deeper dialogue with the international art world. The fair reflects the character of Paris, defined by contrasts and exchanges—from historic palaces and cafés to the youth, diversity, and underground cultures shaping the city today. Under the Grand Palais’s glass dome, these histories and ideas come together, creating an event that is both distinctly Parisian and international in outlook.

Beyond its scale and ambition, Art Basel Paris offers visitors personal moments, from discovering unfamiliar artists to connecting with artworks. The fair brings together diverse worlds, leaving each attendee with a unique and individual experience.