Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Art BaselUBS Report: Gen Z and Women Recast the High-End Art Market

A new Art BaselUBS survey shows younger buyers, especially women, steering demand toward digital works, direct sales, longer holding periods.

Overview

  • Polling 3,100 high‑net‑worth collectors across ten markets, the report finds nearly three‑quarters are Gen Z or Millennials, with Gen Z allocating 26% of their wealth to art and 56% of their spending to collectibles.
  • Women’s market power is growing as female collectors outspent men by 46% in 2024–H1 2025 and more frequently buy unknown artists (55% versus 44% of men).
  • Digital art is now mainstream: 51% of collectors purchased a digital work in 2024–25, and digital pieces average 13% of collections, up from 3% in 2024.
  • Direct artist relationships surged, with 63% buying straight from studios in 2024–25, 35% purchasing via Instagram links, and 51% buying on Instagram without seeing works in person.
  • Selling intentions dropped from 55% in 2024 to 25% in 2025, while 84% of respondents expressed optimism about the market’s direction.