Where the community lives

Art Basel and Frieze are the essential fairs. The vernissage days at both are where the art world gathers most densely and where informal conversations about the market are most revealing. Artforum is the critical publication of record for contemporary art. Frieze Magazine covers the market with more accessibility

The Art Newspaper covers the industry broadly including the auction market. Auction house preview events are free and educational. Phillips, Sotheby's, and Christie's all host preview evenings before major sales that are open to the public and attended by serious collectors. Studio visits, arranged through galleries, provide context for an artist's practice that no amount of secondary research can replicate.

CollectorGrade take

Studio visits are the most educational experiences available to a collector. Seeing how an artist works, understanding the context of individual pieces within a larger practice, changes how you understand everything else you look at. Ask galleries for introductions.