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Arts & Communication Contemporary Portuguese art market tools

and Art Basel Hong Kong (2010). ARCOlisboa intends to concept that allows a maximum of three artists to be
define and assert its own identity as a boutique art fair. presented in each booth. Drawing Room Lisboa takes
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Without an overarching theme, the fair focuses on the place in October, whereas ARCOlisboa is held in May. It
concept of outstanding artists, with a few artists selected for aims to encourage a taste for contemporary drawing in
each booth. Its purpose is to present unique content that sets all its forms while occupying a niche space by allowing
it apart from other leading fairs. This small-scale boutique galleries to present their artists. 35,36 It launched in Lisboa in
fair model is informed by the drive for economic viability 2018, two years after the launch of Drawing Room Madrid
that characterizes its parent fair. In this setting, acquisitions and a year before JustLX: Lisboa Contemporary Art Fair,
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are lower due to a more limited market while representing a the first ARCOlisboa satellite art fair, which is also run by a
challenge to the mainstream art fairs. The boutique concept Spanish company and dedicated to encouraging emerging
specifically means encompassing up to approximately 80 contemporary artists.
galleries – the first edition, held in 2016, featured only 45 Considering that galleries are the most important
galleries (compared with the average 200 galleries showcased intermediaries in the distribution of works of contemporary
by ARCOmadrid). Presenting a boutique art fair of this kind art, this study’s findings demonstrate the development of
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gave rise to two major assumptions: First, a limited number art market infrastructures through the growing number
of participants might have signaled a lack of ambition on the of Portuguese art galleries and fairs over recent decades.
part of the organizers, less appeal for foreign galleries, and Portuguese art galleries have systematically participated
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limited diversification and internationalization, with the in art fairs globally and within Portugal, reinforcing
implicit difficulties of attracting high-net-worth individuals. the shift toward internationalization. These findings
Second, it may be seen as a direct challenge to the kind emphasize the leading role played by the private sector and
of large-scale events taking place globally, refuting the represent opportunities to invest in contemporary art, thus
notion of fairtigue, and proposing in its place a small-scale repudiating claims of a lack of infrastructure in Portugal’s
strategy that offers the possibility of enjoying art in a more contemporary art scene.
comfortable environment on a human scale. This challenge
implies a rigorous approach to content that is centered on 3.2. Museums and collectors
distinctiveness in terms of identity and experience. How can
ARCOlisboa prove distinctive? Examining the geographical Museums, private art collections, and institutions
distribution of galleries featured at ARCOlisboa since its contribute to promoting artists’ careers and credibility in
opening, the majority have come from Portugal and Spain close conjunction with the market structures in the form
of art galleries and fairs. Returning to the two key ideas
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(with around 20 galleries each), along with the habitual on which we based this study’s aim of identifying the local
representation (around 2 galleries) of other countries, mechanisms capable of activating the primary art market
mostly from Europe (Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, and and of leveraging them with regard to contemporary art,
the United Kingdom) but also Brazil and Angola. Since
2019, however, the fair has had a special section called we now examine the role of contemporary museums and
Focus Africa, which is devoted to African contemporary collectors in gathering works and promoting program
art. This section presents galleries dedicated to promoting contributing to the dissemination of artists’ works and the
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contemporary art from Africa, making the most of Portugal’s publicizing of their achievements at an international level.
historical relationship with Portuguese-speaking countries The Portuguese state has not provided consistent
in Africa and the growing international interest in African support to the visual arts sector. This lack of institutional
contemporary art. Although the six featured galleries could support affects the development and visibility of Portuguese
only ever be a symbolic representation of such a huge and artists, a feature that distinguishes the Portuguese sector
diverse continent as Africa, where each country has its own from its counterparts in wealthier countries with cultural
distinct colonial history, this section serves as an opportunity policies. Nevertheless, it has recently created a program of
to consolidate the identity of the boutique art fair concept acquisitions without the involvement of museums from
and create a point of difference. It also helps to explain why the sector, and its efforts to negotiate the acquisition
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IFEMA launched an extension of the art fair in Lisbon, that of art collections amassed by banks that have declared
is, to create a platform for promoting and providing access bankruptcy are noteworthy.
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to contemporary art from the African continent, seeking to The limited involvement of the state in the visual arts
grant it the same status as that enjoyed by Latin American sector has opened the way for the private sector to play
countries. 33,34 a leading role. Since 2000, there has been an increase in
Besides ARCOlisboa, it is worth mentioning Drawing cultural facilities receiving investments from the private
Room Lisboa, a specialized art fair with a curatorial sector, which has altered the dynamics of the art system

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 5 doi: 10.36922/ac.3317