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Arts & Communication Contemporary Portuguese art market tools

é um Cachimbo, which publishes a map of Lisbon’s art art galleries engaging in international art fairs. Some art
galleries and cultural spaces every year. All respondents galleries took the lead by regularly participating in art fairs
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were contacted by phone to check that the email had been since the late 1970s and early 1980s. In this domain, Modulo-
duly received on March 28, 2022. The art galleries surveyed Centro Difusor Arte, Quadrum Gallery, and Cómicos
were defined as companies with commercial purposes and are worth mentioning as pioneers. 16,21 The participation
a physical structure where exhibitions of works in different of Portuguese art galleries in art fairs has grown steadily
mediums are held, primarily by living artists with specific ever since, with ARCOmadrid, the Bologna Art Fair, Art
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training and that are recognized by peers and agents from Cologne, Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Düsseldorf, Frieze
the art scene. 8 Art Fair, Art Dubai, the Art021 Shanghai Contemporary
It was also considered important to reference these Art Fair, and Artissima among the chosen art fairs. Some
data against the respective gallery’s website, associated galleries have also consistently exhibited foreign artists in
museums, and collectors and to observe their program, their regular programs alongside Portuguese artists (e.g.,
activities, and participation in art fairs. Finally, informal the Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art, Filomena Soares
interviews and conversations with key agents, including Gallery, Vera Cortês Gallery, Bruno Múrias Gallery, Nuno
collectors, gallerists, and artists, were considered field Centeno Gallery, Madragoa Gallery, and Francisco Fino
research as well as a strategy for gaining qualitative insights Gallery), thus establishing a dialog between international
into the topic. artistic practices and experiences from local artists. Why
does this matter? Internationalization means expanding
This combination of methods ensured not only a and interacting beyond national borders to a global scale
thorough investigation but also a comprehensive mapping to engage with different countries across sectors, such as
of the functioning of the art ecosystem, drawing upon the economy or culture. Its significance lies in establishing
diverse sources and perspectives. It thus served as a tool a reputation for and elevating esthetic quality within the
for deconstructing the idea of an absence of the primary global sphere. Galleries adopting an international scope
art market and the pertinence of studies and knowledge gain a competitive edge by exporting their artists and
about this subject. artistic trends and expanding their presence in major art
3. Results collections. Participation in international art fairs allows
for increased visibility, potentially enhancing artistic
3.1. Art galleries and art fairs recognition on a global stage. In spite of this effort toward
internationalization, if we take Art Basel as a barometer
The findings demonstrated an increase in the number of (considering its relevance in the global art ecosystem),
contemporary art galleries in Portugal since the second half Portuguese art galleries are underrepresented: only the
th
of the 20 century. Chronologically, the trajectory of the art Pedro Cera Gallery and Cristina Guerra Contemporary
market for modern art galleries can be traced to the 1960s, Art, two private galleries based in Lisbon (and in the case
when the art market was established. The literature suggests of the former, also in Madrid), regularly attend what is
that there were few active commercial galleries before that currently the most prestigious art fair.
time While only 3 galleries were active in the early 1960s,
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this figure soon rose to 15 in the 1970s and reached 74 Along with a focus on internationalization, a burgeoning
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art galleries by 2022 (i.e., four decades later). According interest among collectors and elite circles in contemporary
to a survey that I conducted, in terms of geographical art is reshaping the landscape of the Portuguese art market.
distribution, the art market sector is concentrated in the This shift represents a considerable departure from the
main cities, primarily Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, and traditional focus as it propels Portuguese art galleries into
Porto in northern Portugal. In terms of longevity, many the international arena.
galleries have operated for more than 20 years (42%); Emphasizing the aim of internationalization,
however, a substantial number have opened in the past ARCOlisboa was launched as the Portuguese capital’s
5 years (23%), suggesting a growing dynamism in the primary contemporary art fair in 2016. Promoted by IFEMA,
sector (the survey sample comprised 44 answers from 74 a Spanish consortium formed by the Community of Madrid,
art galleries contacted). Such establishments tend to be the Madrid City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and
family-run businesses operating on a domestic scale with Industry, and the Montemadrid Foundation, ARCOlisboa
a relatively low number of employees, typically up to five. aims to commercialize and disseminate contemporary art.
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Nevertheless, this domestic trend has evolved over the It was created as an extension of ARCOmadrid, a larger,
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past two decades, with a shift toward internationalization. well-established contemporary art fair launched in 1982, in
This transition has occurred gradually because of Portuguese the wake of projects such as Art Basel Miami Beach (2002)

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 4 doi: 10.36922/ac.3317