Art Basel 2025: Highlights of the Global Art Week in Basel

Each June, the city of Basel transforms into the global epicenter of contemporary art as Art Basel 2025 and its complementary fairs unfold across town for a week. Anchored at Messe Basel, the week features standout exhibitions like Unlimited, presenting large-scale works and Katharina Grosse’s vibrant Messeplatz installation. Parallel events such as Volta’s 20th edition, celebrating emerging voices, and Liste’s focus on new talent, enrich the citywide program – making Basel a must-visit for collectors, curators and art lovers worldwide.

Messeplatz Project
German visual artist Katharina Grosse has created the largest urban installation of her career with her project at Messeplatz. Using an industrial spray gun and brightly colored paints – particularly striking magenta tones – CHOIR disrupts the familiar space of everyday passage. The artwork is on display solely for the week of the fair. It is not availabe for purchase, ownership or conservation and will vanish once the event concludes, making it a unique, ephemeral installation.

Art Basel, Messeplatz 10, 4058 Basel, artbasel.com

Unlimited
Art Basel’s Unlimited is a groundbreaking exhibition platform that goes beyond the traditional art fair booth. Housed in a 16,000-square-meter hall, it offers exhibitors the chance to showcase monumental installations, massive sculptures, expansive wall paintings, extensive photo series, large-scale video projections and live performances.

Art Basel, Messeplatz 10, 4058 Basel, artbasel.com

Galleries
Art Basel 2025 brings together numerous galleries from Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America, and Asia, presenting a diverse range of artworks – including paintings, sculptures and installations – across various sytles and mediums.  

Art Basel, Messeplatz 10, 4058 Basel, artbasel.com

Basel Social Club
Basel Social Club 2025 takes over more than 100 rooms of the former Vontobel private bank in central Grossbasel, transforming the historic building into a dynamic, immersive experience. As the first public activation of the site under the FOR ART initiative, the event explores themes of value, trade and exchange through installations, performances and interactive spaces – from a functioning blood bank to rooms focused on jewelry, wellness and games.

Basel Social Club, Mauerstrasse, 4057 Basel, baselsocialclub.com

Volta Basel
VOLTA Basel celebrates its 20th anniversary, bringing over 70 galleries from 29 countries to its new venue at Hall 4.U, Messeplatz 21. Known for championing emerging and underrepresented artists, the fair highlights solo projects and regional showcases – including a Middle East North Africa Pavilion and a focus on Swiss galleries – while reaffirming its commitment to discovery, diversity and community.

Volta Basel, Messeplatz 21, 4058 Basel, voltaartfairs.com

Parcours
Parcours 2025 transforms everyday Basel locations – from shops and offices to hotels and the riverfront – into a curated exhibition. Centered on the theme “Second Nature,” it features over 20 site-specific works that blur the lines between nature and artifice, routine and disruption, bringing together emerging and established voices in a multigenerational dialogue.

Art Basel, artbasel.com

Liste Art Fair
Liste Art Fair Basel marks its 30th edition with 99 galleries from 31 countries, nearly half joining for the first time. Renowned for championing emerging talent, the fair emphasizes solo and carefully curated presentations. Alongside the main exhibition, Liste offers a dynamic program of performances, talks and workshops, and provides grants to support rising galleries.

Liste Art Fair, Mühlenberg 12, 4052 Basel, liste.ch

Photo Basel 
Taking place at Volkshaus Basel, Photo Basel is an international art fair focused on photography-based art. It gathers galleries from around the world in a distinctive environment that encourages meaningful exchanges between collectors, artists and enthusiasts. The fair emphasizes photography’s expanding influence in the art market and promotes creative collaboration within the photography community.

Photo Basel, Volkshaus Basel, Rebgasse 12-14, 4058 Basel, photo-basel.com

Africa Basel
Africa Basel is an art fair focused on contemporary African and diaspora art. It highlights the vibrant and diverse art scene, connecting galleries, collectors, artists and enthusiasts. Held in central Basel, the fair celebrates Africa’s creative heritage and promotes global interest in its art.

Africa Basel, St. Johannsvorstadt 19/21, 4056 Basel, africabasel.com

Swiss Art Awards
The Swiss Art Competition, founded in 1899, is the oldest art prize worldwide. Each year, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture organizes the Swiss Art Awards exhibition, presenting the latest trends in Swiss art and architecture.

Exhibition Swiss Art Awards 2025, Hall 1.1, Messe Basel, swissartawards.ch

Swiss Design Awards
The Swiss Design Competition welcomes all designers working in Switzerland. A jury selects finalists who showcase their work in Basel ahead of Art Basel, where 17 prizes of CHF 25,000 are awarded. The Swiss Design Awards exhibition features 53 finalist projects and attracts over 13,000 visitors annually. Grand Prix winners are celebrated through exclusive videos and publications, making it a key event highlighting Switzerland’s top design talent.

Swiss Design Awards 2025, Hall 1.1, Messe Basel, swissdesignawards.ch