A group of 11 mostly French galleries, led by Charlotte Ketabi-Lebard of Parisian gallery Ketabi Bourdet, have launched Maze Design Basel, a new dealer-run design fair to fill the gap left by the cancellation of Design Miami Basel. The fair is held in the 19th-century Elisabethenkirche church next to Basel's Kunsthalle, with stands arranged throughout the nave, mezzanines, chancel, pulpit, and clerestory. The vernissage on June 16 was playful and relaxed, with sales reported by all exhibitors and about 1,000 guests attending the preview.
This matters because it demonstrates how galleries can self-organize to maintain a design presence during Art Basel week, offering a more intimate and affordable alternative to large commercial fairs. The success of Maze Design Basel—with lower stand fees (around €15,000) and a collaborative, gallery-run model—challenges the dominance of established fairs like Design Miami and signals a shift toward more flexible, community-driven events in the art market. Design Miami, meanwhile, says it is evolving its global strategy and remains committed to its fairs in Paris and Miami.