the essential
Despite an uncertain economic situation and a struggling Art market, Toulouse galleries maintain their dynamism. The city is asserting itself as a player in the sector and adapting to market changes.
In Toulouse, where aeronautics reigns supreme, art is also rising, defying the headwinds of a fragile market, and adapting to changes, despite an art market which has been suffering for 2 years. If his business is doing well, Stéphane Debost, founder of the In Arte Veritas galleries, does not hide the difficulty of recent times: “The situation has become more complex: the global market fell by 50% in 2023, leading to the closure of many galleries over the last two years. An ambient gloom which is found in the type of works sold: “Now, I sell more light works, which do good. There is a real evolution towards joyful things”.
Despite the prevailing gloom, Toulouse seems to be doing well: “There was a drop in 2024, but the market in Toulouse has remained stable over the last 5 years. We are not complaining” testifies André Serventi, owner of the gallery Serventi in the city center.
Also read:
“Toulouse is a city of art that is little known” according to Karim Azmani, new antiques dealer on the show “Affaire concluded”
An observation shared by Serge Beninca, director of the Art3F fairs, which take place each year in 21 cities in France and Europe: “We could have feared a real tension with the economic situation, particularly since the dissolution, but in Toulouse, we recorded record visits and sales during the last editions. The show is doing well, people need to get out.
Also read:
“I only sell works by artists from Toulouse”: Amanni, a 100% local art gallery
François de Malafosse, auctioneer, confirms the city’s attraction for art: “Toulouse is a dynamic center of the art market, which regularly offers high-quality sales. We are often surprised by what we can find here. To give an example, we have already received a painting by Ribera, which sold for more than two million euros at a sale.
“The Internet saved us”
The sector’s resilience can also be attributed to the rise of the internet, which has disrupted art market practices and helped broaden the audience. “The Internet saved us” says André Serventi. Thanks to online sales, his gallery now makes half of its sales from Parisian clients: “The Internet has opened a new era for galleries, allowing them to compete with major capitals while promoting local artistic heritage.” he rejoices.
At the same time, new practices such as leasing works of art are attracting more and more companies. This system, which offers tax advantages and cost spreading, allows galleries to reach new clients, as André Serventi explains: “It’s been two years since we started doing this, and it’s a real opportunity to open our sales to companies”. Enough to remain optimistic for the future of art.
The success of the Art3F fairs in Toulouse
The international contemporary art fair Art3F confirms the attractiveness of Toulouse on the art market. With a record 300,000 visitors and more than 1,600 sales recorded last year in the pink city, this event has established itself as one of the most popular in the franchise, just behind that of Mulhouse, which remains the first place…for now. Indeed, for Serge Beninca, the Toulouse show still has a bright future ahead of it: “It’s impressive because it’s a show that is still recent, so it still has room for improvement.”
