ART SG 2026 Wraps Up Landmark Fourth Edition, Elevating Southeast Asian Art on the Global Stage

ART SG has successfully concluded its fourth edition, marking another milestone in Singapore’s growing influence on the global art scene. Held from 22 to 25 January 2026 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, the fair welcomed over 43,000 visitors and brought together more than 100 exhibitors from over 30 countries and territories.

Presented by Founding and Lead Partner UBS, ART SG 2026 saw strong participation from both established and emerging collectors worldwide, with galleries reporting robust sales across all sectors. This year also marked the fair’s first-ever co-presentation with S.E.A. Focus, Singapore’s homegrown platform for contemporary Southeast Asian art, now in its eighth edition, reinforcing the region’s growing prominence within the international art market.

Expanding Programmes and New Creative Platforms

Beyond its curated gallery sectors, ART SG 2026 expanded its scope with a series of new initiatives and strategic collaborations. Highlights included South Asia Insights, a dedicated pavilion spotlighting contemporary art from South Asia, supported by the TVS Initiative for Indian and South Asian Contemporary Art.

The fair also introduced PERFORMANCE, a new sector dedicated to experimental and interdisciplinary practices, alongside FILM, a daily programme of moving-image works presented in collaboration with ArtScience Museum. Complementing these was PERSPECTIVES, a series of in-depth discussions addressing key contemporary art topics, featuring speakers from major international institutions as well as renowned artists such as Ibrahim Mahama, Jitish Kallat, and Robert Zhao.

Off-site, ART SG co-presented Wan Hai Hotel: Singapore Strait with Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum at The Warehouse Hotel, exploring maritime histories and geographies through a recurring exhibition format.

Strong International Collector and Institutional Presence

ART SG 2026 attracted leading private collectors from across Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States, alongside directors and curators from prominent museums, foundations, and cultural institutions. Their presence further cemented ART SG’s role as a key meeting point for collectors, artists, and institutions worldwide.

Strengthening Museum Collections Through the SAM ART SG Fund

The SAM ART SG Fund returned for its second year with an expanded allocation of SGD 250,000, up from SGD 150,000 in its inaugural edition. Supported by Pierre Lorinet alongside founding benefactors Carmen Yixuan Li and Pure Yichun Chen, the fund acquired significant works from the fair for the Singapore Art Museum’s permanent collection.

This year’s acquisitions included Mona Hatoum’s Inside Out (concrete) (2019) and a series of works by Lotus Kang, reinforcing the museum’s commitment to collecting international contemporary art through a Southeast Asian lens.

ART SG FUTURES Prize Debuts

One of the major highlights of ART SG 2026 was the launch of the ART SG FUTURES Prize, presented by UBS. The inaugural award went to Filipino-Canadian interdisciplinary artist Marigold Santos, whose work was presented by Patel Brown (Toronto).

Awarded USD 10,000, the prize recognises outstanding artistic innovation within the fair’s FUTURES sector, which showcases newly commissioned works by emerging artists represented by young galleries. Santos was selected by an international jury comprising Alessio Antoniolli, Venus Lau, and Khim Ong, underscoring the prize’s curatorial and institutional rigor.

Robust Sales Across Global and Asian Galleries

Throughout the four-day fair, galleries reported strong sales to private and institutional collections worldwide. Blue-chip galleries such as Thaddaeus Ropac and White Cube recorded major transactions, with works by artists including Raqib Shaw, Antony Gormley, Michael Armitage, Danh Vo, and Cai Guo-Qiang placed in significant collections.

Asian galleries also delivered standout results. Johyun Gallery sold out all works by Lee Bae, achieving total sales of over USD 2.7 million, while Asia Art Center, Alisan Fine Arts, INKStudio, GALLERY iLHO, and Wei-Ling Gallery reported strong placements across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Singaporean artists performed particularly well, with notable sales by first-generation Nanyang artists including Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng, and Liu Kang, as well as contemporary Singaporean artists such as Dawn Ng and Esmond Loh, highlighting the depth and continuity of Singapore’s art ecosystem.

Several museum acquisitions further underscored ART SG’s global reach, with works entering collections at institutions such as the Toledo Museum of Art, Museum MACAN, MOCA Bangkok, and X Museum Beijing.

A Cornerstone of Singapore Art Week

ART SG continues to serve as an anchor event of Singapore Art Week, Singapore’s flagship visual arts season, which features over 100 exhibitions, programmes, and events across the city. ART SG 2026 coincided with major highlights including new institutional exhibitions, international forums, and large-scale group shows, further reinforcing Singapore’s position as a leading arts hub in Asia.

The next edition of ART SG will take place from 15 to 17 January 2027, with a VIP Preview and Vernissage on 14 January. Further details on the fifth edition will be announced in due course.