Why Collectors Are Buying Art Directly from Artists in 2026 | Art Market Trends

I received a newsletter this morning from Stop The Starving Artist unpicking the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026 which came out recently. There’s a lot to go through in 245 pages of analysis on the global art market! 

They shared some interesting data.

In 2021, collectors spent about 10% of their art budget buying directly from artists... through studios, Instagram, direct commissions. By 2025, that number had grown to 20%. This is clearly a substantial uplift and equates to art sold directly from artist to collector doubling in just four years.

Another interesting take away is; of the buyers who've been in the art market for two years or less, 42% now prefer buying directly from the artist rather than going through a gallery.  

High-net-worth collectors are also moving this direction with 20% of wealthy buyers now prefer purchasing direct from artists, up from just 6% in 2024. More than tripling in a single year.

I’d love to know if these stats resonate with you?

You can download the report here: The Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2026 By Arts Economics