Reference page
ART MARKET
STATISTICS
2026.
Current facts about global art sales, U.S. demand, online buying, galleries, and art fairs. Last checked October 8, 2026.
A quick picture of the market.
This page collects recent, citable data for artists, collectors, writers, and anyone tracking how art is bought and sold. The figures below describe the overall market, not a forecast or a promise about any individual artwork.
$59.6B
Global art market sales in 2025
The worldwide art market grew 4% from 2024, ending two consecutive years of declining sales values.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Global Market ↗41.5M
Art market transactions in 2025
Transaction volume rose 2% year over year, showing that buying activity stayed broad even as the market recovered unevenly.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Global Market ↗44%
Share of global art sales held by the U.S.
The United States remained the largest art market by value in 2025.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Global Market ↗$26.0B
U.S. art market sales in 2025
U.S. sales grew 5% from 2024, following two years of decline.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Global Market ↗$9.2B
Online-only art market sales in 2025
Online-only sales represented 15% of total art market sales, above the 9% share reported for 2019.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Global Market ↗$34.8B
Global dealer sales in 2025
The dealer sector grew 2% by value, returning to modest growth after two years of decline.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗42%
Dealers reporting higher sales
In the 2025 dealer survey, 42% reported increased sales, while 33% reported a decline and 25% were stable.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗45%
Artists represented by galleries who were women
Women accounted for 45% of artists represented across the surveyed galleries in 2025, while accounting for 37% of sales by value.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗35%
Share of dealer turnover made at art fairs
Art fair sales rose four percentage points from 2024, reaching their highest share of dealer turnover since 2022.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗16%
Share of dealer turnover made online
Dealer online sales fell from 2024, but remained above the 8% share reported for 2019.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗40%
Dealer online sales made to new buyers
Dealers said 40% of the value of their online sales in 2025 came from buyers new to them.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗42%
Share of reported gallery activity that was openings
The report found openings outnumbered closures in 2025, with closures accounting for 25% of published gallery activity reviewed.
Source: Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026, Dealers ↗What these numbers show.
The art market is larger than a single sales channel. Galleries, art fairs, auctions, direct websites, and marketplaces all shape how people discover and buy work. The latest data shows a market returning to growth in 2025, with the U.S. still its largest market and online sales remaining a meaningful route to new buyers.
Explore AEC Heresy prints →Sources and method
All figures on this page come from the 2026 Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report, authored by Arts Economics and covering 2025 market activity. AEC Heresy has summarized the report’s published findings in plain language and links each statistic to the full report. The source links were checked October 8, 2026; the figures remain unchanged. This page will be checked again when the next report is published.
Cite this page
AEC Heresy. “Art Market Statistics 2026.” Accessed October 8, 2026. https://aecheresy.shop/art-market-statistics