Frieze London's 22nd edition in October 2025 will retain a bold floor plan debuted in 2024 that places emerging galleries near the main entrance, pushing blue-chip heavyweights like Gagosian and David Zwirner further inside. Fair director Eva Langret confirms the layout is permanent, citing overwhelmingly positive feedback and renewed energy. The Focus section for galleries under 12 years old gets a boost, with a rotating system ensuring fresh stands near the entrance each year. A new curated section, Echoes in the Present, explores artistic links between West Africa, Brazil, and their diasporas. Meanwhile, Frieze Masters, dedicated to pre-20th-century art, will be run by new director Emanuela Tarizzo.
This strategy matters because it challenges the traditional art-fair hierarchy where top-tier galleries pay premiums for prime visibility, instead prioritizing discovery and support for younger galleries amid a challenging art market. The move re-energizes the fair and signals confidence in London's scene, even as high-profile US galleries like Clearing and Blum have closed. The retention of the layout and the addition of a thematically curated section reflect Frieze's effort to differentiate itself from other major fairs and maintain relevance in a shifting market.