The London Art Fair will return to the capital from 21–25 January 2026, marking its 38th edition with an expanded roster of Modern and Contemporary galleries from the UK and abroad.
Long established as the opening event of the international art calendar, the Fair continues to serve as a key meeting point for collectors, curators and art enthusiasts seeking fresh discoveries and early-year acquisitions.
This year’s Museum Partner, the National Trust, will unveil a selection of surrealist and post-war abstract works drawn from two seminal modernist London homes: 2 Willow Road, designed and inhabited by Ernő Goldfinger, and The Homewood, the former residence of architect Patrick Gwynne. Together, the collections offer a rare glimpse into mid-century experimentation in art, architecture and design.
The Fair’s curated sections again play a central role. Art historian Dr Ferren Gipson leads the 2026 edition of Platform, titled The Unexpected, spotlighting artists who stretch the limits of material and process to challenge traditional ideas of art-making. Encounters, meanwhile, brings a wave of new international voices to London, featuring emerging galleries from Mexico, Turkey, Japan and France.
Across the main fair, visitors can expect works by major figures of 20th-century art, including Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth, William Kentridge, Louise Bourgeois and Frank Auerbach. Several long-standing exhibitors of Modern British art—among them Christopher Kingzett Fine Art, Austin Desmond Fine Art and Redfern Gallery—will return.
Highlights include a centenary presentation dedicated to Scottish painter Craigie Aitchison by Advanced Graphics, a key sculptural work by Lynn Chadwick shown by Pangolin London, and a newly surfaced 1950s painting by Royal Academician Bryan Kneale.
Surrealism is set to make a particularly strong showing this year, mirroring a surge of interest in the market. According to recent data from ArtTactic, auction sales for Classic Surrealists rose 131.6% between 2018 and 2024, while Contemporary Surrealists saw an increase of 264.8% over the same period.
With its curated programmes, institutional partnerships and robust gallery line-up, the London Art Fair 2026 is poised to reaffirm its status as a cornerstone of the UK art scene—and a dynamic starting point for the new collecting season. Photo by Jpbowen, Wikimedia commons.