Menart Fair: The Only European Art Fair Dedicated to the MENA Region (Middle East & North Africa)

Art from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has become a new star in the European art market, showing unprecedented dynamism and growth.

An Essential Platform for MENA Art in Europe

Founded in 2021, Menart Fair stands as the only European fair entirely devoted to art from the Middle East and North Africa. The event serves as a vital platform for the diversity and richness of this artistic scene, bringing together emerging and established talents, as well as institutions, collectors, and galleries, through a strong program that reinforces Paris’s role as a key hub in the international recognition of MENA art.

Paris, the New European Center for MENA Art

In recent years, Paris has become a major European center for MENA art, reflecting the sustained expansion of this market.

Between 2024 and the first half of 2025, sales of works by artists from North Africa increased by 76%, while those from the Middle East rose by 178%.

In the autumn of 2024, joint sales between Paris and London brought together 438 works by 235 artists, achieving a total of 13.14 million USD, confirming the growing interest in this artistic scene.

A Growing Market Across Europe

In London, a key epicenter of the sector, the major international auction houses lead the market.

• In October 2024, Christie’s achieved 6.43 million USD in its Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sale, driven by the prestigious Dalloul Collection, with an impressive 92% sell-through rate by value.
• Sotheby’s reached 15.7 million USD in the spring, setting several records for prominent artists such as Bahman Mohasses (Iran) and Fahrelnissa Zeid (Turkey).
• Bonhams achieved 3.09 million USD, setting ten new auction records, with a 69% sell-through rate.

Overall, in 2024, 70% of all lots from North African and Middle Eastern artists were sold, representing 89% of the total market value, with results reaching up to 153% of the low estimate.
At the same time, the online market generated 1.41 billion USD, showing strong growth potential for the coming years.

Since the 2020s, an increasing number of European galleries have focused on artists from the MENA region and its diaspora—some even making it the core of their identity—consolidating this scene as a major new pole in global contemporary art.

Institutions and Auctions Strengthen MENA Visibility

While countries such as Germany occasionally host exhibitions or sales dedicated to MENA art, Paris and London remain the main centers of this market.

Leading cultural institutions are also contributing to this momentum: the Centre Pompidou, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, the Palais de Tokyo, as well as the Tate Modern and the British Museum, have recently showcased artists from the region, reinforcing their position within the international art landscape.

Outlook for 2025 and Beyond

The MENA art market continues to consolidate, supported by institutional investments and the growing recognition of artists from the region.

Auction houses and international art fairs, including Menart Fair, play an essential role in this process, providing platforms for both established and emerging artists.

Forecasts for 2025 remain positive, with an expected increase in participation from local and international collectors, as well as greater diversification in the types of works presented and traded.