Every October, Paris becomes a meeting point for the international art world. With dozens of booths to explore, gallery openings to attend and museums to visit, it can be tempting to approach Paris Art Week as a checklist. But the week is not really about seeing everything. It is about slowing down for what deserves a second glance, and noticing which works stay with you long after the week ends.
So, rather than attempting to cover the entire programme, we have put together a selection of visits worth making time for: from the major fairs to smaller discoveries, institutional exhibitions and gallery events across the city.
1. Art Basel Paris
Art Week is centred around the art fairs, and for the main act, we have Art Basel Paris, taking place at the iconic Grand Palais on Avenue Winston Churchill, near the Champs-Élysées.
With 211 international galleries, Art Basel Paris is worth visiting whether you are new to collecting or already familiar with the fair circuit. There is a lot to take in, and even the most specific of art tastes will likely find something to pause over.
But how does one approach a fair with hundreds of galleries and countless visitors? Rather than trying to see everything, it helps to arrive with a question in mind. Perhaps a particular medium, generation or region you want to explore, and then leave enough room to be surprised.
In many ways, Art Basel acts as a small microcosm of the art world. It gives you a chance to see what is circulating internationally, what galleries are choosing to present, what collectors are responding to and which practices have stood the test of time.
2. Paris Internationale
Paris Internationale is the alternative, more subversive counterpart to Art Basel Paris. Located nearby the Canal Saint-Martin, it offers a much-needed break from the scale and structure of the traditional art fair.
With its more unconventional spatial layout and lively atmosphere, the fair feels like a slightly different side of the art world: one that is younger, more experimental and less predictable. The 2026 edition brings together 56 galleries and five non-profit spaces from 19 countries, alongside nine Special Projects.
The smaller scale and diversity of formats allow for more sustained attention, making Paris Internationale a good place to discover new and emerging artists from around the world. This is the fair to visit when you want to widen your art palette, encounter galleries you may not already know and spend a little longer with the works in front of you.
3. Asia NOW
Returning to the Monnaie de Paris, Asia NOW brings together more than 200 artists from Asia and its diaspora, presented by around 60 galleries, institutions and private foundations.
What makes the fair particularly interesting is its attempt to approach Asia not as a fixed geographical category, but as a space of movement, exchange and influence. The programme brings together different artistic histories, materials and forms of knowledge, creating connections that extend beyond national or regional labels.
For collectors, Asia NOW is an opportunity to look beyond the dominant narratives of the international art market and encounter practices through a wider set of cultural and historical contexts. The setting being the courtyards and salons of the Monnaie de Paris also gives the fair a more architectural and atmospheric rhythm than a conventional exhibition hall.
4. OFFSCREEN
Dedicated to installations, still images and moving images, OFFSCREEN offers one of the most distinctive formats of Paris Art Week. This year’s edition takes place in the Chapelle Saint-Louis de la Salpêtrière, a setting that makes the relationship between artwork and architecture central to the visit.
The fair is particularly suited to collectors interested in photography, film and time-based practices. Unlike a conventional booth-based fair, these works often require duration: time to watch, move through, listen and allow an image to unfold. This makes OFFSCREEN a useful reminder that collecting is not only about individual objects, but also about artists’ approaches to space, sequence and experience.
The 2026 programme includes a presentation of Ana Mendieta as Guest of Honor, alongside artists working across photography, film and installation.
5. Ibrahim Mahama: The Harvest Season
Opening on 22 October at the Fondation Cartier’s Paris venue, The Harvest Season is Ibrahim Mahama’s first major exhibition in Paris. The exhibition brings together Mahama’s large-scale practice with the work of nine invited artists and collectives, creating a broader conversation around materials, archives, labour and collective forms of making.
Mahama is known for transforming industrial materials and historical fragments into immersive installations. Here, the exhibition becomes more than a presentation of individual works: it reflects on how knowledge is passed on, how communities create and how artistic practices can grow through exchange.
This is a worthwhile stop for collectors because it offers a different kind of encounter from the commercial fairs. It is less about surveying the market and more about spending time with an artist’s larger intellectual and material world.
6. MaSH: Nocturne Matignon Saint-Honoré
For a different experience of Paris Art Week, MaSH brings together the galleries of the Matignon–Saint-Honoré district for one evening only. The programme includes gallery openings, exhibitions and outdoor performances, with free access.
Rather than asking visitors to move through one large fair, MaSH encourages a more open-ended way of encountering the city’s gallery scene. It is a chance to follow your eye from one space to another, move between established galleries and smaller discoveries, and experience the social energy that surrounds the opening of a new exhibition.
For collectors, this kind of evening can be as valuable as a fair visit: it offers a sense of how galleries are building their programmes and which artists they are choosing to place in conversation.
Also on our radar…
Design Miami Paris
If you are interested in the overlap between art, design and collecting, Design Miami Paris is a natural stop. Set inside the historic Hôtel de Maisons, it brings together collectible furniture, lighting and objects in a setting that feels almost as important as the works themselves.
Post-Fair Paris
If the scale of Art Basel feels overwhelming, Post-Fair Paris offers a more focused alternative. With solo and duo presentations from international galleries, this is where you can slow down and spend more time with individual artists and their practices.
Plan your visit to Post-Fair Paris ↗
Private Choice
For a more intimate experience, Private Choice brings together art and collectible design inside a Parisian apartment near the Palais-Royal. The domestic setting makes it easier to imagine how the works might live together, and how collecting can extend into everyday spaces.
Tracey Emin at White Cube
For those drawn to emotionally direct and deeply personal work, Tracey Emin’s exhibition at White Cube brings together new paintings and intimate bronze sculptures. Her monumental bronze works at the Parvis des Droits-de-l’Homme will also be on view across the city.
Explore Tracey Emin’s exhibition at White Cube ↗
Kurt Schwitters at Musée Picasso
For a historical counterpoint to the contemporary fairs, Kurt Schwitters’s exhibition at the Musée Picasso explores collages and sculptures made from found and discarded materials. It is a chance to step away from the current market conversation and look at an artist who radically expanded what could become art.
Explore Kurt Schwitters at Musée Picasso ↗
Le Large
For those willing to venture beyond central Paris, Le Large on Île Seguin is one of the week’s more ambitious new destinations. Its inaugural exhibition, curated by Cecilia Alemani, makes the trip worthwhile for anyone interested in how new institutions are shaping the city’s cultural landscape.
Explore Moteur Imaginaire at Le Large ↗
Planning your visit
When is Paris Art Week 2026?
Paris Art Week takes place from 19–25 October 2026. However, each fair, gallery opening and exhibition has its own dates, opening hours and admission rules, so it is worth checking the individual organiser’s website before visiting. See the full Paris Art Week programme.
When is Art Basel Paris 2026?
Art Basel Paris takes place at the Grand Palais. Its public days are 23–25 October 2026, from 11:00 to 19:00. Preview days are invitation-only, while the vernissage on 22 October requires a separate vernissage ticket or invitation. Art Basel’s official visitor information has the latest ticket options.
Do I need tickets for Paris Art Week?
There is no single ticket covering every event. Art fairs, exhibitions and special programmes manage their own admission, and some are free while others require tickets, registration or accreditation. Check the official website for each event before adding it to your schedule.
Do I need a VIP pass or accreditation to visit Paris Art Week?
You can enjoy Paris Art Week as a general visitor. Many fairs have public opening days with tickets or registration, and some gallery events and exhibitions are free. VIP invitations and accreditation may provide access to previews, early visits or special programmes, but they are arranged separately by each organiser. There is no universal pass for the whole week. Start with the events you want to see and check their official websites for admission details before visiting.
What should I prepare before visiting Paris Art Week?
Start by choosing the fairs or exhibitions you are most interested in, then check their exact dates, ticketing and location. Booking in advance is recommended for popular events. It is also worth carrying your ticket confirmation, checking whether reduced admission requires proof of eligibility and bringing a small bag, as some venues restrict backpacks, suitcases or trolleys.
How should I plan my Paris Art Week itinerary?
Try not to schedule too many major visits in one day. Choosing one main fair and one or two nearby exhibitions usually leaves enough time to look properly, move between venues and make unexpected discoveries. Planning by neighbourhood is also useful, since the programme stretches from the Grand Palais and Matignon to Saint-Germain, the Marais, Canal Saint-Martin and Île Seguin.
Where can I find the complete Paris Art Week schedule?
The complete programme, including fairs, exhibitions, gallery openings and public art projects, is available at parisartweek.com. Because schedules and access conditions can change, use the guide as a starting point and confirm final details with the official event organisers.
This is only a small selection of what Paris has to offer during Art Week. If you find yourself hungry for more, explore the Paris gallery map and the full programme at Paris Art Week.
