As 2025 draws to a close, what started as a year of uncertainty for the art market ultimately became one of significant strain. Yet, the final months have delivered the first credible signs of recovery.

At ArtTactic’s panel at the London Art Fair on “2025: What’s Next in the Art Market”, experts highlighted a market that was being marked by the increasing influence of AI, implications of potential US policy decisions, new regulatory changes and shifts in fee structures at major auction houses. The market faced many of these challenges and despite industry initiatives, such as the inaugural Sotheby’s Saudia Arabia auction, there were heavy blows to the sector, with consumer confidence dropping for large parts of the year and signs of positivity returning only recently at Frieze London and Art Basel Paris. 

An article in the Financial Times notes that after a sluggish run of sales in the middle of the year, the market’s rebound is deliberate. Instead of a frenzy of million-dollar works, buyers, increasingly female and of a younger generation, are approaching the market more cautiously and are preferring deals grounded in substance, not spectacle. The “safety-first” approach suggests the art world is shedding its appetite for high-volatility plays, and embracing a steadier, measured rhythm while also celebrating lesser-known artists.

Against this backdrop, it is especially encouraging to see initiatives that directly highlight emerging talent. JPES’s sponsorship of a prize for an emerging artist at The London Group Open Exhibition, as one of the longest-running and most prestigious artists’ collectives globally, feels timely. In a year when caution dominates headlines, this sponsorship demonstrates a commitment to the next generation of artists who bring the experimentation and unpredictability that keep the market alive. 

The FT article also highlights collectors’ interest this year in new mediums, including digital, photographic and surrealist pieces, all of which featured prominently in this year’s Open Exhibition.

All of this suggests that while the art market continues to evolve, it is doing so with a clear understanding of its own priorities. Stability may not make the loudest headlines, but it often provides the strongest foundations. The coming months will show whether this confidence can hold and how the sector will choose to build upon it.