Are art dealers' August holidays a thing of the past?

The art market has slowed down for two and a half years, prompting galleries to reevaluate their business strategies. As they approach summer 2025, galleries are confronting the decision to take an August break. Feedback indicates a lack of agreement among dealers about this issue, influenced by factors like workload and cultural heritage. While some prioritize travel to meet collectors during peak summer season, others, particularly in California, choose to remain open to cater to tourist traffic, reflecting differing regional practices in gallery operations.

"We have a globally diverse collector base, so while in autumn and spring that might entail meeting collectors in New York and London, during the summer that means spending time in Napa or Aspen or the Hamptons to meet our collectors where they are."

"The summer break (and adjusted hours) for galleries seems to be a uniquely European and New York phenomenon, and to my knowledge it is rare for California-based galleries to close during the summer."

Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events