Art Antwerp 2025: A Boutique Fair Growing in Strength and Personal Approach

The fifth edition of Art Antwerp brings together 79 galleries from across Europe for a convivial and international year-end gathering focused on meaningful connections and artistic encounters. Organised by Art Brussels, the contemporary art fair will open with its VIP Cocktail Preview on Thursday 11 December at Antwerp Expo, followed by the Vernissage and three public days from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 December.

Since its inception in 2021, Art Antwerp has established itself as a boutique fair with a distinct personality : intimate, high-quality, and warmly convivial. Held each December, it has become a highlight in the art calendar, marking the end of the year with a festive and welcoming atmosphere.

For its fifth edition, Art Antwerp continues to grow in both strength and personal approach, welcoming 79 galleries from 11 countries while preserving the fair’s human scale and curatorial coherence. The 2025 edition introduces new initiatives to enrich the visitor experience, including free guided tours in English and Dutch and the Art Antwerp Art Advisory Desk, a service designed to help visitors navigate the fair and engage confidently with participating galleries.

Reflecting its commitment to depth and artistic focus, one in five galleries will present a solo or duo exhibition, inviting visitors to explore individual practices and artistic dialogues in greater detail. Beyond the booths, a selection of large-scale installations will be displayed in the aisles, adding a spatial and sculptural dimension to the fair’s layout.

Completing the experience, a welcoming catering area offers visitors a convivial place to pause and exchange ideas between discoveries, reinforcing Art Antwerp’s atmosphere of openness and encounter.

Curated through an invitation-only model, Art Antwerp’s participating galleries are selected by an Invitation Committee from Belgium and neighbouring countries, ensuring a strong level of artistic quality and coherence across the fair, and fostering meaningful encounters between collectors, curators, visitors, and artists.

A Steady Increase in Participating Galleries

For its 2025 edition, Art Antwerp welcomes 79 galleries, a growth from 70 in 2024. The fair’s expansion reflects its rising international reputation, while maintaining a human scale that allows for genuine connections between galleries, artists, and audiences.

Importantly, 78% of the exhibitors from 2024 return this year, demonstrating the loyalty and satisfaction of participating galleries.

 “Our ambition is not to grow in size, but in strengthening content, focus, and resonance. Art Antwerp has always been about quality, intimacy, and genuine encounters — a fair that fosters meaningful connections between galleries, collectors, artists, and art lovers. The increase in participating galleries this year reflects the rise of shared and curated presentations, which enrich the experience without altering the fair’s human scale. With initiatives such as free guided tours and the new ‘Art Antwerp Art Advisory Desk’, we want to make contemporary art more accessible, offering guidance and inspiration to visitors who are eager to discover, learn, and perhaps take their first step as upcoming art collectors.”
​— Nele Verhaeren, Managing Director of Art Brussels and Art Antwerp.

An Increasingly International Profile

 While remaining firmly anchored in Belgium within an important resonance in neighbouring countries, Art Antwerp continues to broaden its international reach. The share of Belgian galleries has therefore decreased from 51% in 2024 to 42% in 2025, while the overall number of 11 countries remains the same.

The Netherlands and France are the most represented countries after Belgium, both seeing notable growth this year: Dutch galleries account for 25% of participants (up from 21%), while French galleries represent 16% (up from 9%) aligned with the visitors nationalities. 

The fair also continues to highlight Antwerp’s own vibrant scene, with 18% of participating galleries (14 in total) based in the city itself — confirming its status as a creative hub where the local and international art worlds intersect.

 Welcoming 20 New Galleries

This year’s edition of Art Antwerp introduces 20 new participants compared to last year, many of whom are leading names on the European gallery scene.

These additions expand the fair’s network and highlight the rich diversity of contemporary artistic practices presented at Art Antwerp.

Exploring Mediums and Perspectives at Art Antwerp

Art Antwerp brings together both established and emerging talent from around the world. Alongside leading names represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., Nathalie Obadia, Guy Pieters and Keteleer, 16% of the participating artists are under 35, bringing a new generation’s vision to the fair. About 270 artists are featured in the fair. 

Alongside a strong representation of painting and drawing, photography takes on a central role, with Katrien De Blauwer (Gallery FIFTY ONE) presenting poetic photo collages, Yto Barrada (Galerie Polaris) unveiling her never-before-exhibited Petites formes élémentaires series, Max Pinckers (Gallery Sofie Van de Velde) examining narrative and truth within documentary form, and Ruud van Empel (Galerie Fontana) reimagining photographic realism in his Voyage Pittoresque series.

Valerie Traan Gallery brings Wall of Shame, a collective statement on the power of images and a call for justice and peace. Proceeds from sales will be donated to organisations with a social purpose.

Textiles are another focus, bridging fashion, craft and concept. Walter Van Beirendonck (Galerie Polaris), Koen Taselaar (Andriesse Eyck Gallery), Maja Klaassens (Dürst Britt & Mayhew), Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil (In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc), Jelena Škulis (Meno Nisa Gallery), Afra Eisma (No Man’s Art Gallery) and Maria Abaddon (Verduyn Gallery) each reinterpret the medium through storytelling, material experimentation and social engagement.

Under the theme Climate & Environment, artists including Gideon Kiefer (BARBÉ), B.D. Graft (Double V Gallery), Otobong Nkanga (In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc), Tiago Santos and Bart Houwers (Josilda da Conceiçao Gallery) explore humanity’s connection with nature, addressing memory, ecology, and the impact of environmental change.

At its core, Art Antwerp highlights the interconnection between mediums, ideas and generations. Across photography, textiles and environmentally engaged practices, the fair underscores art’s enduring ability to bear witness, provoke thought and imagine new possibilities for the future.

Solo and Duo Presentations: A Deeper Dive into Artists’ Practices

From intimate solos to focused duos, this year’s Art Antwerp invites visitors to engage deeply with individual artistic practices. One in five galleries — 17 out of 79, or about 21% — will show solo or duo presentations, each revealing a distinct artistic vision.

These concentrated showcases allow galleries to put the spotlight on a single artist or a dialogue between two, creating spaces for reflection and discovery within the fair. They offer visitors an opportunity to slow down, to take a closer look at the materials, themes, and processes that define each practice, and to better understand the narratives behind the works on view.

This curatorial approach reflects Art Antwerp’s boutique spirit: a fair on a human scale that values intimacy, depth, and meaningful artistic encounters. Whether introducing new work or revisiting key moments in an artist’s career, these presentations foster genuine connections between artists and audiences. 

11 Solo Presentations:

More information on the solo presentations → 

6 Duo Presentations:

More information on the duo presentations →

Beyond the Booths : Large-Scale Installations Displayed in the Aisles

As in previous editions, Art Antwerp will feature a # selection of large-scale installations presented outside the booths, in the aisles of the fair. These works bring a spatial and sculptural dimension to the fair, encouraging visitors to encounter art outside the traditional stand format.

List of participating galleries & artists:

These installations reinforce the fair’s curatorial vision — an art experience that is personal, physical, and open to surprise.

 The full list of participating galleries and artists is available on our website.

New! The Art Antwerp Acquisition Prize, with the support of Delen Private Bank 

One of this year’s most exciting novelties is the launch of the Art Antwerp Acquisition Prize, replacing the previous Best Booth Prize. Inspired by the success of the Discovery Acquisition Prize at Art Brussels, this new initiative will donate a work of art valued at up to €10,000 (excluding VAT) to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA). This prize not only fulfils the artist’s dream of having their work included in a museum collection but also supports the gallery in achieving a meaningful sale while enriching the collection of a key Antwerp institution. 

The jury for the Art Antwerp Acquisition Prize 2025 includes: 

Antwerp, a City with Centuries of Art and Collecting Tradition

With a significant number of local galleries among its participants and several partner exhibitions taking place across the city, Art Antwerp continues to strengthen the connection between the fair and Antwerp’s dynamic and vibrant art scene.

Antwerp has been a city of art and collectors for centuries. As early as the 15th and 16th centuries, Antwerp was event the home to the first art fair in Europe and quickly developed into one of the continent’s most important artistic centres. Research by art historian Dr. Filip Vermeylen revealed that between 1565 and 1585, around 90% of homeowners in Antwerp owned at least one artwork—most often paintings with portrait or religious themes—while grand townhouses could display an average of 27 works. This deep-rooted passion for collecting has endured through time and continues to shape the city’s cultural identity.

Today, Antwerp remains a hub for art lovers, with renowned institutions such as the Rubenshuis, Museum Plantin-Moretus and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) and M HKA, Mod testifying to its artistic legacy.

Visitors can discover the OFF Programme on the fair’s website, as well as a dedicated page highlighting galleries with permanent spaces in Antwerp, where current exhibitions will be on view during the fair period. Together, these initiatives invite visitors to explore the city’s contemporary art galleries, museums and cultural spaces throughout the fair period and experience Antwerp as a destination for contemporary art.

Stad Antwerpen & Visit Flanders
​Supporting Art Antwerp since its first edition.

“Art has always been part of Antwerp’s DNA. From the masters of the past to the visionaries of today, our city continues to celebrate and cherish creativity in all its forms. It’s something we live with, and continue to create together. Therefore, in the years ahead, we will continue to invest in places where artistic freedom can thrive, ensuring that creativity remains at the heart of Antwerp’s future.” — Lien Van de Kelder, Alderman for Culture, Employment, Equal Opportunities, and International Solidarity of the City of Antwerp"
​— Lien Van de Kelder, Alderwoman for Culture, Employment, Equal Opportunities and International Solidarity of the City of Antwerp

Online Viewing Room – Curators Highlights

For this edition of Art Antwerp, we are pleased to introduce an in-house Online Viewing Room (OVR), presenting images of works uploaded by participating galleries for visitors to explore digitally. The OVR will go live on Thursday 11 December at 11am and will remain accessible until Thursday 18 December at midnight.

To enrich the digital experience, a selection of invited personalities will share their coups de cœur — curated highlights of artworks that captured their attention within the Online Viewing Room. Among the first confirmed participants are Sergio Herman (chef) and Daphné Agten (actress).

Art Antwerp Achieves Active Membership Status with the Gallery Climate Coalition 

Art Antwerp has been recognised as an Active Member of the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), marking an important step in its ongoing commitment to sustainability in the arts. 

The recognition reflects concrete actions taken to reduce environmental impact: conducting a carbon report, appointing a Green Ambassador, publishing an Environmental Responsibility Statement, and regularly reviewing progress and future goals. ​ 

Just like Art Brussels, which has also achieved this milestone, Art Antwerp is now a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition, bringing together 120 organizations, artists, and individuals across the art world who are committed to driving sustainable change. ​ 

In line with this commitment, a dedicated talk on sustainability in the arts will take place during the upcoming edition of Art Antwerp.

Partners 

Main Partner for Art Antwerp ​ 

Art Antwerp is proud to announce that Delen Private Bank will be the sole Main Partner moving forward. This new chapter builds on a shared commitment to excellence, cultural engagement, and the support of the art world. "The love of art is woven into the DNA of Delen Private Bank. To us, it is a passion that brings people together” (Anne-Sophie Delen)

Other Partners 

Selection of images
​Download all images here

In Situ Mark Dion Blood Coral With Tar 2024 161 X 47 X 30 Cm Piece Unique © Tom Caillarec Galerie In Situ Fabienne Leclerc Grand ParisHopstreet Gallery Susanne WellmHer Favourite Silk Dress2025Giclee Print Acrylic Paint Cotton And Polyester Thread Woven56 5x38cm

Gallery FIFTY ONE Bruised Blue 13 22052025Gallery FIFTY ONE Blue Bruises 77 23032025

Maurice Verbaet Gallery 1044 Mara P 01Galerie Lelong W25602TurningPointHDGallery SVDdVPieterJennes 0047

Maurice Verbaet Gallery 0289 VanHoeydonck P 02TATJANA PIETERS Brian Harte Disher 2024 2

Galerie Binome Miroir Aveugle Laurence Aegerter 2023 Galerie Binome BD 4 CopieDudokdegroot 2023 W32

Guy Pieters Gallery 103 CARNET MONDAIN MARS 103Arcade 06 B Spazio A Luca Bertolo Red Girl 2017 09 21 LivchiusiGalerie Lelong W26724MariaHD

Alzueta Gallery MaruQuinonero3AFIKARIS Saidou Dicko Between 2025 Watercolor Painting On Paper 30x40 Cm

De Zwarte Panter Ontmoeting Aan T Scheld 2025 129 X 183 Bijgeschilderde Ets

Kristof De Clercq Veerle Beckers Beckon 2025 Oil On Canvas 48 X 40 Cm Courtesy Of The Artist And Kristof De Clercq Gallery Photo By Jan GoemanGalerie Fleur & Wouter Topsy Turvy Two 2024 150 X 101 Cm