Frieze

What Frieze does

Frieze is a privately held UK-based art media and events company that operates a global platform for contemporary art. Founded in 1991 as a magazine, the company expanded into art fairs starting with Frieze London in 2003 and now operates five international fairs (London, New York since 2012, Los Angeles since 2019, Seoul since 2023, and Abu Dhabi planned) alongside Frieze Masters, which focuses on historical art. The company also runs two permanent exhibition spaces — No.9 Cork Street in London and Frieze House Seoul — and publishes Frieze Magazine, which has produced over 200 issues since launch.

The core technology is a digital content platform (frieze.com) publishing editorial articles, exhibition reviews, artist profiles, and fair information, complemented by the Frieze Viewing Room for online gallery presentations and Frieze Studios for video and podcast production. The On View directory provides searchable listings of global exhibitions. Membership tiers (In Depth digital, In Print, In Person fair access, Frieze Connect) create a year-round subscription layer atop the fair-driven calendar. Supporting programs include Frieze New Writers, artist awards, Frieze Film, Frieze Music, Frieze LIVE, and Frieze Sculpture.

Revenue is generated across five streams: fair ticket sales with tiered pricing, multi-tier membership subscriptions (auto-renewing annually), magazine subscriptions and single-issue sales, sponsorships and partner content (Deutsche Bank as Global Lead Partner, BMW, Chanel), and e-commerce through the Frieze Shop. The primary customer segments are art galleries exhibiting at the fairs (including major commercial galleries such as Gagosian, Lisson, Pace, David Zwirner, and Kukje), art collectors and patrons accessing VIP and membership benefits, art museums and institutions making acquisitions, and art professionals engaging through editorial, fellowships, and emerging programs.

Name

Frieze

Legal name

Frieze

Website

https://www.frieze.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Frieze is a privately held UK-based art media and events company that operates international contemporary art fairs (London, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Abu Dhabi planned), publishes Frieze magazine, and runs multi-tier memberships serving galleries, collectors, museums, and art professionals worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Art Fair Operations: Revenue generated from ticket sales to international art fairs in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul, with tiered pricing from single-day tickets to multi-day VIP access.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual subscription tiers (In Depth £45, In Print £60, In Person from £156) providing varying levels of digital access, print magazine delivery, and fair benefits.
3. Frieze Magazine: Leading magazine of contemporary art and culture launched in 1991, offering subscriptions and single issue sales, with over 200 issues published.
4. Sponsorships and Partner Content: Branded content and partnership activations with sponsors including Deutsche Bank (Global Lead Partner), BMW, and Chanel, featuring sponsored articles, video collaborations, and event partnerships.
5. Frieze Shop: E-commerce platform selling publications, merchandise, and art-related products from shopcc.frieze.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Frieze operates international contemporary art fairs (London, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Masters) that connect leading commercial galleries with collectors and institutions, and publishes the Frieze Magazine of contemporary art and culture. The company also runs a multi-tiered membership program, operates permanent exhibition spaces (No.9 Cork Street and Frieze House Seoul), and provides a digital Viewing Room for online art presentation, serving galleries, collectors, art professionals, and enthusiasts worldwide.

Product overview

Frieze is a leading international art organization operating a platform-plus-events model. The core offerings include Frieze Magazine (print and digital publication launched in 1991), five international art fairs (Frieze London, Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles, Frieze Seoul, and Frieze Masters), and two permanent exhibition spaces (No.9 Cork Street in London and Frieze House Seoul). The portfolio also includes Frieze Viewing Room (digital collectible platform), Frieze Studios (video/podcast production), and membership tiers (In Depth, In Print, In Person, Frieze Connect). Supporting programs include Frieze New Writers Programme, artist awards (Frieze London Artist Award, Frieze Seoul Artist Award), Frieze Film, Frieze Music, Frieze LIVE, Frieze Sculpture, and Neighbourhood Nights. The On View directory provides a global exhibition search service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Frieze New Writers: A free three-day intensive course for aspiring writers to develop skills with support from the frieze editorial team
• Frieze Connect
• No.9 Cork Street
• Frieze House Seoul
• Frieze Music
• Frieze Film
• Frieze LIVE

Products and services

• Frieze Magazine Leading magazine of contemporary art and culture featuring essays, reviews, and columns by leading writers, available in print (8 issues per year) and unlimited digital access.
• Frieze Art Fairs International contemporary art fairs (Frieze London, Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles, Frieze Seoul, and Frieze Masters) showcasing leading commercial galleries and contemporary art to global collectors and institutions.
• Frieze Memberships Tiered annual membership program with In Depth (digital access from £45/€50/$55), In Print (magazine + digital from £60/€78/$75), In Person (premium fair access from £156/$202), and Frieze Connect (by-application, year-round global events).
• Frieze Viewing Room Digital platform providing online access to view and collect art from Frieze fairs, available to members with priority booking.
• No.9 Cork Street
• Frieze House Seoul
• Frieze Shop
• Frieze Studios
• On View

Quantifiable outcome

• 90,000+ annual visitors to Frieze London and Frieze Masters combined
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kiaf SEOULcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrieze Seoul operates in partnership with Kiaf SEOUL, South Korea's premier art fair, offering seamless entry to both fairs with every ticket or membership purchased. The partnership creates a unified art fair experience in Seoul.
• BMWminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBMW partners with Frieze for Frieze Music, featuring performances such as Sampha at Frieze London Collectors' Dinner. Luxury automotive brand supporting music programming at fairs.
• ChanelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChanel partners on the 'Now & Next' series featuring dialogues between established and emerging Korean artists at Frieze Seoul, and other cultural programming.
• Ghetto Film SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhetto Film School leads the four-month programme for Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award, producing individual short films with emerging LA filmmakers.
• The Armory ShowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Armory Show (New York) is listed alongside Frieze New York as an affiliated international art fair, cross-promoted on the Frieze website.
• EXPO CHICAGOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEXPO CHICAGO is listed alongside Frieze fairs as an affiliated international art fair, cross-promoted on the Frieze website.
• Art Sonje CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrieze Seoul's LIVE programme partners with Art Sonje Center for live performances across the city during Frieze Week Seoul.
• Busan BiennaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrieze Film Seoul collaborates with the Busan Biennale, featuring international artists and screening during Frieze Week Seoul.
• Seoul Mediacity Biennale (SMB13)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrieze Film Seoul partnership with the 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale, featuring international artists in collaborative programming.
• EMAP (Electronic Media Art Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMAP x Frieze Film Seoul partnership at Ewha Womans University featuring international artists in moving image programming.
• Stone IslandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStone Island provides support for the Focus section at Frieze London, dedicated to emerging galleries.
• A Studio BetweenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based multi-disciplinary studio serving as architectural partner for Frieze London, designing public areas within the fair to enhance guest experience.
• Fatoş ÜstekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent curator and writer serving as director of Frieze Sculpture, curating outdoor works in The Regent's Park.
• City of Santa MonicaminorOthersFrieze thanks the City of Santa Monica for its support of Frieze Los Angeles.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Sotheby's: Sotheby's is a global auction house and art market incumbent that overlaps with Frieze at the high-end of the collector and institutional market. Both serve galleries, collectors, and museums, monetize around the same art market cycles, and compete for the same HNW buyer attention, though Sotheby's operates via auctions rather than fairs.
• Christie's: Christie's is a global auction house serving the same institutional and HNW collector base as Frieze. While Frieze operates fairs and editorial, Christie's operates auctions, private sales, and art advisory — adjacent models addressing the same luxury art market participants.

Direct peers

• Masterpiece London: Masterpiece London is a hybrid art fair covering fine art, antiques, and design, held in London. It competes directly with Frieze Masters and Frieze London for the same London-based collectors and institutional buyers in the historical and luxury art segment.
• TEFAF: TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) is a leading art fair held in Maastricht (and previously New York), covering fine art, antiques, and design. It competes with Frieze Masters for the historical and high-end collecting market and overlaps with Frieze's collector audience in Europe and the US.
• The Armory Show: The Armory Show is a major contemporary art fair held annually in New York, directly competing with Frieze New York for galleries, collectors, and sponsor dollars. It is even cross-promoted on Frieze's own website as an affiliated fair, underscoring the head-to-head nature of the competition.
• EXPO CHICAGO: EXPO CHICAGO is an international contemporary and modern art fair held annually in Chicago, competing with Frieze's North American fairs (Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles) for exhibiting galleries and institutional buyers. Like Frieze, it combines physical fairs with curatorial programming and sponsor partnerships.
• Art Basel (MCH Group): Art Basel operates the world's leading contemporary art fairs in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, and Paris, serving the same global pool of top galleries, collectors, and institutions as Frieze London, Frieze New York, and Frieze Seoul. Both monetize similarly through exhibition booths, tickets, sponsorships, and partnerships.
• Art Dubai: Art Dubai is the leading contemporary art fair in the Middle East, comparable to Frieze's planned expansion into Abu Dhabi. Both target international galleries and HNW collectors in an emerging regional art market, and both operate as anchor events that define the regional art calendar.

Emerging players

• Artnet: Artnet is an online art market platform offering auction results, gallery listings, and editorial content, comparable to Frieze's On View directory and editorial platform. It serves collectors and galleries with digital discovery and price reference tools — adjacent to Frieze's digital viewing room and fair operations.
• Artsy: Artsy is an online art marketplace connecting collectors with galleries and auction houses, with editorial content comparable to Frieze.com. It overlaps with Frieze's digital viewing/collecting ambitions and competes for the same galleries' online sales and marketing budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/friezeofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/friezeofficial
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/frieze
• Instagraminstagram.com/friezeofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frieze