Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz discusses the state of the art market and the evolving role of art fairs in an interview with Katya Kazakina as the 2026 edition of the fair opens in Basel, Switzerland. The fair features 290 exhibitors, including top global galleries, and attracts major collectors like Don and Mera Rubell as well as celebrities. Horowitz, who became CEO in 2022, has overseen the expansion of Art Basel from three fairs (Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong) to five, adding Paris and Qatar, along with new initiatives like the Zero 10 digital art platform and the Art Basel Awards.
This interview matters because Art Basel remains the world's most important modern and contemporary art fair, and its expansion strategy raises critical questions about sustainability and the strain on mid-tier galleries amid a changing art market. Horowitz's insights—drawn from his long career leading the Armory Show and a brief stint at Sotheby's—offer a rare, high-level perspective on how art fairs are adapting to digital art, shifting collector behavior, and economic pressures, making this a key barometer for the entire art ecosystem.