Colnaghi’s stand at TEFAF in Maastricht, 2018. Courtesy of TEFAF.
The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht, the largest and most high-profile Old Master fair in the world, has called off its 2021 edition. Organizers said they decided to pull the plug on the event, which had previously been rescheduled from its traditional March dates to September, “after careful consideration of current global circumstances.”
The fair’s cancellation raises questions about the feasibility of other major art expos that had been pushed to the fall, including Art Basel, which is due to run in nearby Switzerland from September 23 to 26, and Frieze London, which is scheduled for October 13 to 17. Expo Chicago, which historically took place in September, has already shifted to April for good starting next year, while Independent and the Armory Show in New York are proceeding as planned for September.