Drawing Now Paris
Drawing Now Paris is an annual art fair founded in 2007, the first in Europe exclusively dedicated to contemporary drawing, held at Carreau du Temple in Paris and serving international galleries, collectors, and institutions through a curated four-day event supported by year-round programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Drawing Now Paris does
Drawing Now Paris, founded in 2007 by Christine Phal, is the first contemporary art fair in Europe exclusively dedicated to drawing. The organization operates a single annual flagship event at the Carreau du Temple in the Marais district of Paris (4 rue Eugène Spuller, 75003), bringing together approximately 70–71 international galleries from 13 countries and around 300 artists over a four-day run consisting of an invitation-only VIP preview followed by three public opening days. The 19th edition took place in March 2026, and the 20th anniversary edition is scheduled for March 17–21, 2027.
The core product is the fair itself, organized across four curated sectors — General, Inception (emerging galleries), Process, and Digital — and supported by a programming suite including Prix Drawing Now, Talks et Performances, Parcours Parallaxe, Parcours Art Faber, and Programme Curare. Ancillary revenue and engagement layers include the Drawing Society membership program and the Drawing Friends supporter tier, which provide year-round touchpoints with the collector, gallery, and institutional community. Technology footprint is limited to a conventional website, social media channels (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn), newsletter, and a press-relations operation with coverage in Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, Le Journal des Arts, Beaux Arts, and The Art Newspaper.
The business model derives revenue from gallery/exhibitor participation fees (applications for the 20th edition close September 25, 2026), implicit commission on art sales transacted during the fair (documented sales of 15–20+ works per successful booth at price points of €4,000–€50,000), and VIP preview access for invited collectors and institutions. Partnerships with C-E-A (Curare program), Université Paris Panthéon-Assas (Art Faber collective), and Frac Champagne-Ardenne (Parallaxe sector), as well as co-organization of Paris Gallery Weekend 2026, extend programming reach. The organization runs on a lean 7-person team with no disclosed external funding or institutional ownership.
Drawing Now Paris firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drawing Now Paris
- Legal name
- Drawing Now Paris
- Website
- https://drawingnowartfair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Drawing Now Paris is an annual art fair founded in 2007, the first in Europe exclusively dedicated to contemporary drawing, held at Carreau du Temple in Paris and serving international galleries, collectors, and institutions through a curated four-day event supported by year-round programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drawing Now Paris industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contemporary Art Fair Services
- NAICS
- Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts, Crafts & Maker Fairs (MPAGAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Collectibles & Hobby Shows (MPAGAFAN)
Keywords
Where Drawing Now Paris is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Drawing Now Paris business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Exhibitor/Gallery Fees: Galleries pay fees to participate in the fair. Applications are open with deadlines (September 25, 2026 for 20th edition). Fees fund the event operations and venue.
- Art Sales Commission: Gallery testimonials indicate successful art sales during the fair (e.g., 15 pieces sold by Galerie Nathalie Obadia, 20 drawings by Katarzyna Wysiołek). The fair likely takes commission on transactions.
- VIP Preview Access: Preview day on March 17, 2027 by invitation and VIP pass only, suggesting premium ticketing or invitation-only format for early access to collectors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Drawing Now Paris product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drawing Now Paris organizes an annual contemporary art fair held at Carreau du Temple in Paris, exclusively dedicated to the medium of drawing. The fair brings together 70+ international galleries presenting approximately 300 artists across four curated sectors (General, Inception, Process, Digital), supplemented by a prize, talks and performances, curatorial pathways, and an exhibition. Galleries apply via a selection process and pay participation fees; collectors and institutions attend to view and acquire works.
Product overview
Drawing Now Paris is a single unified product — an annual international art fair exclusively dedicated to contemporary drawing, held at the Carreau du Temple in Paris. Founded in 2007, the fair serves as the primary platform for connecting galleries, artists, collectors, and art professionals. The offering is structured around the main exhibition featuring over 70 international galleries, organized across four distinct sectors (General, Inception, Process, and Digital), complemented by curated programs including the Prix Drawing Now prize, Talks et Performances, Parcours Parallaxe, Parcours Art Faber, and Programme Curare. A membership program called Drawing Society provides ongoing engagement with the fair's community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drawing Now Paris Art Fair Annual international art fair exclusively dedicated to contemporary drawing, held at Carreau du Temple in Paris. Reunites over 70 international galleries presenting approximately 300 artists across four sectors (General, Inception, Process, Digital). Designed for galleries (exhibitors) and art collectors, institutions, and the general public (visitors).
- Prix Drawing Now Annual prize awarded during the Drawing Now Paris fair, recognizing excellence in contemporary drawing practice. Targets artists working in drawing and the galleries that represent them.
- Drawing Society Membership program supporting Drawing Now Paris, providing exclusive access to events, programming, and year-round community engagement for art professionals, collectors, and enthusiasts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 71 galleries from 13 countries participating in 2026 edition
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Drawing Now Paris
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Drawing Now Paris technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Drawing Now Paris partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Paris Gallery WeekendcoreCo-organized with Paris Gallery Weekend 2026 (May 29-31, 2026), bringing together 73 galleries in Paris and Île-de-France. Drawing Now Paris announced and promoted the event to its community. Free weekend event featuring vernissages, performances, conferences, and artist encounters.
- C-E-A (Cercle des Critiques d'Art)corePartnership for the Curare curatorial program, examining contemporary forms of drawing across Inception, Process, and Digital sectors of the fair. Curators Domitille Bertrand and Lucie Ménard co-developed the program.
- Université Paris Panthéon-Assas (Art Faber Collective)minorArt Faber collective, an international collective initiated by the university, organized a circuit dedicated to representations of the economic world, exploring labor, production, and societal dynamics.
- Drawing Lab ParisminorDrawing Lab Paris invited Drawing Now community to the inauguration of exhibition 'Une fenêtre contre le temps' during Paris Gallery Weekend 2026.
- Frac Champagne-ArdenneminorDirector Bérénice Saliou of Frac Champagne-Ardenne co-curated the Parallaxe sector highlighting women artists for whom drawing is a central practice.
Scale indicators5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Drawing Now Paris competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Drawing Room London: London-based art fair exclusively dedicated to contemporary drawing, the most directly comparable event to Drawing Now Paris in terms of medium-specific focus, format, and target gallery/collector base.
- Outsider Art Fair: New York-founded niche art fair that has expanded to Paris; shares Drawing Now's model of curating a focused segment of the contemporary art market with strong editorial and collector engagement.
- 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair: Specialized contemporary art fair with a Paris edition, comparable to Drawing Now in operating a focused, curated fair format targeting a defined segment of the market with international gallery participation.
- PAD (Paris Art + Design): Paris-based art fair focused on design and modern collectible works, comparable to Drawing Now as a themed art fair running in Paris with a curated exhibitor selection and collector-oriented preview format.
- Paris Photo: Annual photography-focused art fair held in Paris, operating a similar medium-specific curatorial model with VIP preview days, sector segmentation, and international gallery participation at the same Paris ecosystem.
- Art Paris Art Fair: Spring contemporary art fair held annually in Paris at the Grand Palais, the most direct generalist contemporary art fair competitor operating in the same city and season as Drawing Now Paris.
Broad incumbents
- Art Basel: The largest global art fair brand with editions in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong; competes for the same international gallery customers and high-end collector base, though Drawing Now occupies a much narrower, medium-specific niche.
- Frieze: Major global art fair and media brand with editions in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul; comparable as an art fair platform targeting top-tier international galleries and collectors, with much broader scope than Drawing Now.
- FIAC / PARIS+ (by Art Basel): The historic Paris contemporary art fair now relaunched as PARIS+ by Art Basel at the Grand Palais; the dominant generalist contemporary art fair in Paris and the principal competitive alternative for both galleries and collectors.
Others
- Drawing Center New York: Non-profit institution dedicated exclusively to the exhibition of drawing; not a competing fair but the leading curatorial authority on contemporary drawing and a natural cultural ally for Drawing Now's programming and Prix Drawing Now.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Drawing Now Paris social profiles
Digital presenceDrawing Now Paris financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drawing Now Paris leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Drawing Now Paris funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drawing Now Paris M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Drawing Now Paris
What does Drawing Now Paris do?
Drawing Now Paris organizes an annual contemporary art fair held at Carreau du Temple in Paris, exclusively dedicated to the medium of drawing. The fair brings together 70+ international galleries presenting approximately 300 artists across four curated sectors (General, Inception, Process, Digital), supplemented by a prize, talks and performances, curatorial pathways, and an exhibition. Galleries apply via a selection process and pay participation fees; collectors and institutions attend to view and acquire works.
Is Drawing Now Paris a public or private company?
Drawing Now Paris is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Drawing Now Paris founded?
Drawing Now Paris was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Drawing Now Paris based?
Drawing Now Paris is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Drawing Now Paris make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Exhibitor/Gallery Fees are the primary driver. The others are art Sales Commission and VIP Preview Access.
Who are Drawing Now Paris's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Drawing Room London, Outsider Art Fair, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, PAD (Paris Art + Design), Paris Photo and Art Paris Art Fair. Broad incumbents are Art Basel, Frieze and FIAC / PARIS+ (by Art Basel). Drawing Center New York is listed as an others.
Does Drawing Now Paris have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drawing Now Paris.
What industry is Drawing Now Paris in?
Drawing Now Paris's product category is Contemporary Art Fair Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAJ, Arts, Crafts & Maker Fairs, with a secondary code of THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 711 and its SIC code is 7990.