Sydney Contemporary, Australia's largest contemporary art fair, reported A$16m (US$10.5m) in sales for its 2025 edition, marking a fourth consecutive year of decline. The fair, held from 11 to 14 September at Carriageworks, featured 116 exhibitors and nearly 500 artists, making it the largest edition to date. Despite the drop from last year's A$17.5m and A$23m in 2022, founder Tim Etchells remains committed, citing record visitor numbers of 26,440 and a shift in buyer behavior where sales often close weeks after the fair. Notable sales included a A$1.5m painting by Emily Kam Kngwarray, still under consideration by a collector. A new photography section, Photo Sydney, debuted and will return next year.
The declining sales reflect broader market cautiousness and a "two-speed art market" in Australia, where demand for decorative art has fallen while sophisticated offerings hold steady. The fair's resilience—through record attendance, new gallery additions, and curated programming—highlights its role as a bellwether for the Australian art market. The introduction of Photo Sydney signals efforts to elevate photography as a prestige art form, while the focus on younger buyers and emerging galleries suggests adaptation to shifting collector demographics. The tenth edition next year will be closely watched for signs of recovery or further contraction.