Beyond the Exhibition: The Hidden Connection Between the Venice Biennale and Art Fairs
This article presents the key ideas from an essay by Leyi Qu, an Arts Management student at JAM MUSIC LAB. Inspired by a visit to the Affordable Art Fair and the exhibition Noble Desires: A History of the European Art Market, the essay explores the hidden connections between cultural prestige, art fairs and the contemporary art market.
An Arts Management student perspective
At first glance, the Affordable Art Fair and the Venice Biennale appear to represent two very different sides of the art world. One presents artworks in gallery booths with visible prices and direct contact between visitors, artists and dealers. The other is known for national pavilions, curatorial themes and experimental artistic projects rather than direct sales.
A recent essay by a JAM Arts Management student explored what connects these two exhibition models—and discovered that art and commerce have never been as separate as they might seem.
Art and commerce: a long relationship
At the Affordable Art Fair, the commercial side of the art world is clearly visible. Gallery representatives introduce the works, answer questions and connect artists with potential collectors. The atmosphere is accessible and welcoming, encouraging visitors to experience art as both a cultural object and something they might acquire.
Although this model feels contemporary, many of its structures have deep historical roots. Public art markets already existed in 16th-century Antwerp, while dealer networks such as that of the Forchondt family distributed artworks across Europe and beyond during the 17th century. Like today’s gallery booths and art fairs, these systems brought artworks, intermediaries and buyers together.
The exhibition Noble Desires: A History of the European Art Market shows that many mechanisms associated with today’s art business—including marketplaces, sales strategies and pricing—have existed in different forms for centuries.
The Venice Effect
The Venice Biennale follows a different logic. Artworks in its main exhibition are not presented primarily for sale. Instead, the Biennale creates cultural visibility through curatorial selection, national representation and international attention.
Yet this does not mean that it is disconnected from the contemporary art market. Participating in the Venice Biennale can significantly strengthen an artist’s reputation. Galleries and private supporters may also help finance ambitious installations, transportation and production. Recognition gained in Venice can later influence interest from galleries, collectors, museums and art fairs.
This process is sometimes described as the “Venice Effect”: cultural prestige is transformed into greater visibility and, potentially, market value. Artist Simone Leigh, who received the Golden Lion for Best Participant in the 2022 International Exhibition, offers a striking example of how recognition in Venice can expand an artist’s international presence far beyond the Biennale itself.
Two parts of the same system
Seen together, the Venice Biennale and art fairs are not opposites. They fulfil different functions within the same cultural and economic ecosystem.
The Biennale creates symbolic value through artistic recognition, curatorial authority and public debate. Art fairs, galleries and auctions help that value circulate through the market, connecting artists with collectors and providing financial support for future artistic production.
For an Arts Management student, understanding this relationship means looking beyond the artworks themselves. It means asking how cultural value is created, who makes it visible and how it becomes economically sustainable.
The relationship between art and business is therefore not simply a modern development. Cultural prestige and commercial exchange have supported—and challenged—one another for centuries. Understanding this continuous movement between recognition and market value is essential for anyone preparing to work in today’s international art world.
