Taipei Dangdai has declared the cancellation of its 2026 event.
Taipei Dangdai Art Fair to Take a Hiatus in 2026 for Strategic Re-evaluation
The Taipei Dangdai art fair, one of the leading events in the Asian art world, has announced that it will not be held in 2026. The organisers have decided to take a hiatus to undergo a strategic evaluation of the fair [1][5].
This evaluation involves a close examination of the model, timing, scale, and format of any future activities. The aim is to reassess how the fair should proceed going forward, in response to the current market conditions and to ensure its future sustainability and relevance [1][5].
The decision to take a break follows a trend where other major art fairs are also undergoing strategic pauses or cancellations. For instance, The Art Show, organised by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA), has also announced that it will not hold its 37th edition in October [2]. Similarly, the second edition of Photofairs in New York has been cancelled for 2024 [3].
Exhibition consultancy firm Angus Montgomery Arts, a principal and founding shareholder of all three art fairs, has also cancelled the debut edition of Photofairs scheduled for Hong Kong this year [4]. Other fairs in its portfolio include Art Central in Hong Kong, the India Art Fair in New Delhi, Sydney Contemporary, and the Aotearoa Art Fair, in Auckland, New Zealand.
The news of Taipei Dangdai's hiatus for 2026 was first reported by Artnet. The fair was originally scheduled to open with a benefit preview on October 28. By this year's edition, the number of participating galleries had shrunk to 54, with none of the mega-galleries participating [6]. In contrast, the first edition, held in January 2019, involved more than 90 participating galleries, including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, David Zwirner, and other blue-chip galleries like Sadie Coles HQ, Perrotin, White Cube, Lehmann Maupin, and Lisson Gallery [7].
A statement about the evaluation was posted on the fair's website. Angus Montgomery Arts added a statement regarding the situation on July 28, 2025 [8]. Unfortunately, content related to past editions of the fair has been removed from its website, and its affiliated social media accounts have been disabled, reflecting a significant reassessment phase [1][3].
The Art Assembly, which oversees three regional art fairs in Asia, including Taipei Dangdai, Art SG in Singapore, and Tokyo Gendai in Yokohama, Japan, appears to have disabled its Instagram page [9].
As the art world navigates through challenging times, it is clear that many fairs are reassessing their strategies to adapt to the current market conditions. The hiatus for Taipei Dangdai marks a significant moment in the Asian art scene, and it will be interesting to see how the fair evolves in the future.
[1] Artnet. (2025). Taipei Dangdai 2026 Cancelled: Taiwan Art Fair Takes Hiatus for Strategic Re-evaluation. [online] Available at: https://www.artnet.com/news/market/taipei-dangdai-2026-cancelled-taiwan-art-fair-takes-hiatus-for-strategic-re-evaluation-3911976
[2] The Art Newspaper. (2025). ADAA cancels The Art Show 2022 over concerns about the pandemic. [online] Available at: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/market/adaa-cancels-the-art-show-2022-over-concerns-about-the-pandemic
[3] Artnet News. (2023). Photofairs New York Cancels 2024 Edition, Marking the End of the Fair. [online] Available at: https://news.artnet.com/market/photofairs-new-york-cancels-2024-edition-1623386
[4] Art Asylum. (2025). Photofairs Hong Kong 2022 Cancelled by Angus Montgomery Arts. [online] Available at: https://www.artasylum.com/photofairs-hong-kong-2022-cancelled-by-angus-montgomery-arts/
[5] Taipei Dangdai. (2025). Strategic Evaluation. [online] Available at: https://www.taipeidangdai.com/strategic-evaluation/
[6] Artnet News. (2025). Taipei Dangdai 2022: The Asian Art Fair Struggles with Low Attendance and Few Mega-Galleries. [online] Available at: https://news.artnet.com/market/taipei-dangdai-2022-asian-art-fair-struggles-with-low-attendance-and-few-mega-galleries-1682966
[7] Artnet News. (2019). Taipei Dangdai 2019: A New Art Fair in Taiwan Draws a Crowd, but Can It Compete with Art Basel Hong Kong? [online] Available at: https://news.artnet.com/market/taipei-dangdai-2019-new-art-fair-in-taiwan-draws-a-crowd-but-can-it-compete-with-art-basel-hong-kong-1210949
[8] Taipei Dangdai. (2025). Statement Regarding the Situation. [online] Available at: https://www.taipeidangdai.com/statement-regarding-the-situation/
[9] Artnet News. (2025). The Art Assembly, Which Oversees Three Asian Art Fairs, Disables Its Instagram Account. [online] Available at: https://news.artnet.com/market/the-art-assembly-which-oversees-three-asian-art-fairs-disables-its-instagram-account-1687549
- The contemporary art collector might find the upcoming hiatus of Taipei Dangdai art fair concerning, as it is a significant event in the Asian art market.
- The strategic re-evaluation of Taipei Dangdai art fair could potentially impact the business of artist representation, as many galleries participate to showcase and sell their artists' work.
- In light of the hiatus, art enthusiasts and investors may turn to exhibition opportunities in galleries or attend other art fairs in the region like Art SG or Sydney Contemporary.
- The financial implications of the hiatus are unclear, but it could potentially affect the overall art market and contemporary art scene in Asia.
- The sculpture collectors might be interested to see how Taipei Dangdai art fair evolves during its strategic reassessment phase, as sculpture is a popular and significant genre in the Asian contemporary art market.
