Frieze Art Fair | Contemporary Art Fairs in London and Worldwide

Frieze is a global contemporary art organisation known for its art fairs, and its flagship fairs, Frieze London and Frieze Masters, take place every October in The Regent’s Park in London, UK. The next fair on the Frieze calendar is the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi, from 19 to 22 November 2026, followed by Frieze Los Angeles from 25 to 28 February 2027. Galleries, collectors, curators and art advisers use the fairs to show, buy and commission work.

‘Moving into the Future’: Caroline Monnet on Artist-to-Artist at Frieze London 2026

Frieze Art Fair: Overview for Galleries, Collectors and Art Professionals

Frieze began in 1991 as frieze magazine, founded by Amanda Sharp, Matthew Slotover and Tom Gidley, and launched Frieze London in 2003. Today the company runs a portfolio of eight art fairs across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, alongside the magazine, an online platform and year-round programmes in London and Seoul. The fair is also searched for as Frieze Art Fair London, Frieze London or Frieze Masters.

Frieze fairs sell tickets to the public and also offer preview and VIP access for collectors, so the audience mixes trade professionals with art lovers. According to the organiser, Frieze London and Frieze Masters together attract more than 85,000 visitors a year.

Frieze Fairs Around the World

Frieze London and Frieze Masters are the main Frieze events, but the group also runs art fairs in other cities. The fairs and projects in the Frieze portfolio are:

Europe
- United Kingdom: Frieze London, Frieze Masters, Frieze Sculpture and Frieze Viewing Room London
North America
- USA: Frieze New York (New York), Frieze Los Angeles (Los Angeles), The Armory Show (New York) and EXPO CHICAGO (Chicago)
Asia
- South Korea: Frieze Seoul (Seoul)
Middle East
- United Arab Emirates: Frieze Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi)

The Armory Show and EXPO CHICAGO joined the portfolio in 2023 and continue to operate under their own names. Frieze Abu Dhabi, the group’s first fair in the Middle East, was launched in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi. Dates, venues and the links to every Frieze fair are listed on the fairs page of the Frieze website.

Frieze London and Frieze Masters: Contemporary Art and Art History

Frieze London presents work made mostly since the turn of the century by living artists, while Frieze Masters covers art from antiquity to the modern period, so the two fairs reach different collectors in the same week. They stand within walking distance of each other, about 15 minutes apart on foot, and Frieze Sculpture links them with outdoor works in the English Gardens of The Regent’s Park.

Both fairs add curated sections beside the main gallery booths. In recent editions these have included Focus, a section for emerging galleries, Artist-to-Artist presentations, Editions and The Code Universe, together with the Frieze London Artist Award and a new commission for each edition. Close to 300 galleries take part across the two fairs, according to the organiser.

Frieze Week London, Gallery Walks and the Viewing Room

Around the fairs, Frieze Week turns London into a programme of gallery openings and exhibitions across the city. Frieze publishes London Gallery Walks, grouped by area, such as Bloomsbury, the East End and the West End, to help visitors plan their days. The Frieze Viewing Room London carries gallery presentations online before and during the fair, which gives buyers who cannot travel a way to see the work.

Who Exhibits and Who Buys

Galleries apply for each fair, and selection committees choose the exhibitors. The Frieze Abu Dhabi line-up shows the international reach of the group, with 84 galleries from more than 60 cities in its first edition. On the buying side, the fairs draw private collectors, museum curators, art advisers and design and architecture professionals, and Frieze offers VIP access and membership levels through its website for those who want earlier entry.

Frieze Beyond the Fairs

Frieze is more than a fair organiser. frieze magazine, founded in 1991, remains a reference for art criticism, and frieze.com serves as the group’s online platform. Year-round spaces include No.9 Cork Street, a permanent space in Mayfair for visiting international galleries, and Frieze House Seoul, which hosts exhibitions between fairs.

Art Market Trends Shaping Frieze Conversations

Three shifts keep coming up in conversations among galleries at Frieze. Fair calendars are widening beyond Europe and North America, with East Asia and the Gulf now part of the circuit, and Frieze Seoul and Frieze Abu Dhabi are examples of that move. Online viewing rooms have made fairs hybrid, so a booth presentation now has a digital life before and after the opening day. And collectors increasingly ask for complete ownership histories and accessible price points, which changes what dealers bring to a booth. For the wider market picture, see our art trade shows calendar and market insights.

Planning Your Visit to Frieze

In London, Frieze London is a short walk from Regent’s Park tube station, while Frieze Masters sits at Gloucester Green on the north-east side of the park, near London Zoo. Combined tickets cover both fairs, and VIP access is arranged through the Frieze website. For the cultural landscape around the fairs, see our United Kingdom Creative Industries page and, for the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago fairs, our United States Arts Organizations directory.

Latest News for Art Professionals

- Frieze Abu Dhabi revealed its line-up: 84 galleries from cities around the world will take part in the first fair presented by Frieze in the region, with curated sections including Frieze Masters Abu Dhabi. Read more →
- New sections announced for London: Frieze said its 2026 London fairs would bring new curated sections and gallery debuts, spanning millennia of history and the next generation of artists. Read more →

Programming for the London fairs unveiled: the 2026 programme included a new onsite commission by Gray Wielebinski, Masters Talks with Grayson Perry and Es Devlin, and a film programme with the ICA. Read more →
London Gallery Walks published: Frieze issued area-by-area guides to exhibitions in Bloomsbury, the East End and the West End during Frieze Week. Read more →

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Frieze held? Frieze London and Frieze Masters take place every October in The Regent’s Park, London. The other Frieze fairs run on their own dates through the year. Current and future dates are listed in our art trade shows calendar.

Where does Frieze take place? Frieze London and Frieze Masters are held in The Regent’s Park in London, UK. Frieze also runs fairs in New York, Los Angeles, Seoul and Abu Dhabi, and owns The Armory Show in New York and EXPO CHICAGO in Chicago.

Who can attend, and does it cost anything? Frieze fairs are open to the public with a ticket, and collectors can arrange VIP access. According to the organiser, tickets and membership options are sold through the Frieze website.

What is the difference between Frieze London and Frieze Masters? Frieze London presents contemporary art, mostly work made since the turn of the century. Frieze Masters presents art from antiquity to the modern period. The two fairs run at the same time within walking distance of each other.

Does Frieze have fairs outside London? Yes. Frieze London is the flagship, and the group also runs fairs in the USA, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. The full list is in the Frieze fairs section above.

How do galleries take part in Frieze? Galleries apply for each fair, and selection committees choose the exhibitors. Curated sections such as Focus give younger galleries a route into the fairs.

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