The Easel

Archives: Ornela Ramasauskaite

24th March 2026

Art market analysis: The 2026 Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report

Here’s a surprise – an analysis of the Art Basel / UBS report that is candid. After declining in each of the last two years the market in 2025 (after adjusting for inflation) stood still. With US tariffs inhibiting international trading, the market is shifting toward local buyers. There, the ecosystem is contracting and shifting toward larger galleries while small galleries are struggling to survive. Says one dealer “art dealing feels more like gambling than doing business”.