In light of the new Frieze Art Fair happening from 15 – 19 October 2025, at The Regent's Park, London, Art In Art Magazine decided to give a rough rundown on what is Frieze and what does it do for young artists looking to show in Frieze art fair in the future.

For contemporary artists seeking global exposure and a leap in their career development, Frieze Art Fair serves as a quintessential career milestone. Since its inception in 2003, Frieze has transformed from a London-based art fair into a global phenomenon, hosting exhibitions annually in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul. For young artists looking to approach galleries about showing at Frieze, understanding its unique history, curated ethos, and the specific programs designed to champion emerging talent is crucial.

The origins of the Frieze Art Fair are deeply rooted in intellectual engagement, stemming from the launch of Frieze magazine in 1991 by Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover. The magazine quickly gained a reputation for critical analysis and its originality, influencing artists, curators, and collectors alike. Capitalising on this authority, the first Frieze Art Fair launched in London’s Regent’s Park in 2003, seeking to bring the magazine’s curatorial rigor and intellectual engagement into a physical space.

Frieze immediately distinguished itself from traditional art fairs by focusing exclusively on contemporary art at a time when many other fairs catered to broader audiences with a interest on art of different periods. The fair has always positioned itself at the crossroads of commerce, creativity, and intellectual engagement. While many art fairs prioritise sales, Frieze offers a curated experience for the audience, championing living artists and new works. This emphasis on curatorial excellence, integrating ambitious installations, commissioned projects, and performance art, established Frieze as a critical venue for experimental practices and attracted a global audience. Collectors and artists alike would often travel just to experience the fair.

Frieze’s rapid expansion mirrors the global professionalisation of the art market. Following Frieze London (2003), the fair introduced Frieze New York (2012), Frieze Masters (2012, held concurrently with London, dedicated to art from antiquity to the 20th century), Frieze Los Angeles (2019), and Frieze Seoul (2022). The expansion into Seoul, in particular, signaled Frieze’s ambition to diversify its geographical reach and embrace the growing influence of the Asian art market.
For an artist, participation in any Frieze edition offers extraordinary visibility and prestige.

Although the primary sales often happen post-fair in quieter, private settings, Frieze serves as a crucial platform for galleries to showcase new works and maintain their presence alongside industry icons. Attendance at the combined London and Masters fairs, for instance, has totaled around 60,000 visitors in recent years.

Artists aspiring to exhibit should note Frieze’s curated effort to support new talent, particularly through specialised sections in each art fair that elevate lesser-known artists, and Frieze has a lot of them to offer:

1. Focus(Frieze London)/Focus LA(Frieze LA): This section is dedicated to emerging galleries that are up to 12 years old. In Frieze London, the layout has been strategically revamped to place the "Focus" section—often featuring galleries curating solo artist presentations—at the forefront of the visitor experience. Focus LA specifically targets galleries with up to fifteen years of activity.
2. Frame (Frieze New York): Similar to Focus, this section concentrates on introducing galleries with less than ten years of activity.
3. Frieze Projects and Commissions: These initiatives are key spaces for boundary-pushing and experimental art. Frieze invites artists to create site-specific installations, performances, and interventions that often tackle pressing social or political issues, challenging conventional notions of what an art fair can present. The non-profit Frieze Projects program was initiated in 2003. Past projects have included performances addressing social discourse, such as SPIT! (Standing for Sodomites, Perverts, Inverts, Together!).
4. Artist Awards: Frieze has historically sponsored awards like the Frieze Artist Award, designed to discover new artists through international calls, as well as the Emdash Award and the Cartier Award.
5. Solo Presentations and Dialogue: The most recent editions have seen a strong tendency among large international galleries to focus on solo-artist presentations, providing an excellent opportunity for individual artists to tell a compelling narrative. Frieze has also fostered cross-generational mentorship through its "Artist-to-Artist" program.

Frieze London will feature 168 galleries operating in 45 countries in 2025, at the front of the fair, the Focus section will feature contemporary galleries Portas Vilaseca, The Pit and Soft Opening.

By embracing critical dialogue, supporting emerging talent, and continuously prioritizing curated experience over mere transaction, Frieze remains a highly regarded and significant venue for artists to define their careers and engage with the forefront of global contemporary practice.