Report Publication

Artprice, the data‑analytics arm of Artmarket.com, issued its 33rd Annual Contemporary Art Market Report covering the period July 2025 through June 2026. The press release, dated 8 October 2026, coincides with the upcoming Frieze London and Art Basel Paris exhibitions.

Global Market Performance

Fine‑art auction sales worldwide rose 41% over the reporting year, driven primarily by activity in the United States. The United States alone contributed an additional $100 million in sales, accounting for half of all million‑dollar transactions recorded in the period. American artists therefore represented 50% of the million‑dollar sales tally.

Contemporary Segment

Contemporary art, defined as works by artists born after 1945, posted a 6% increase in sales value and a 9% rise in sales volume. The number of lots sold reached a new record for the sixth consecutive year. By contrast, the ultra‑contemporary sub‑segment (artists under 40) contracted 26.6%.

Regional Highlights

  • China: Auction sales fell 18%, though the market still generated roughly 40 million‑dollar results, mainly in Hong Kong and Beijing.
  • South Korea: The Seoul market showed signs of strengthening, though specific figures were not disclosed.
  • United Kingdom: Remained stable as the world’s third‑largest market by value.
  • France: Recorded 22% growth in sales value and an 18% increase in transaction count, placing it third globally by volume behind the United States and the United Kingdom.
  • Middle East: Auction sales declined 28%, reflecting a deteriorating geopolitical environment.

Market Structure

The contemporary art market spans 64 countries, 558 cities with active auction activity, and 1,055 auction houses. Artprice’s database draws on public auction results from more than 7,200 auction houses and covers over 60,000 contemporary artists, with a specific focus on those under 40. The report ranks the top 500 contemporary artists by auction performance and includes a methodology note that all prices are quoted in U.S. dollars and include buyer’s premiums.

Company Background

Artprice’s econometrics department offers personalized statistics via econometrics@artprice.com. Artmarket.com, listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, serves 9.3 million members and operates the world’s largest art‑image bank with 181 million digital images. The group, controlled by Groupe Serveur (established 1987), has twice received the French Public Investment Bank’s “Innovative Company” label.

Additional Resources

The full English and French versions of the report are available for download at the Artprice website, and a complementary AI‑focused dialogue titled “Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI” is also offered free of charge.