These very different art ecosystems serve very different audiences. Courtesy ZONAMACO

This year, there’s no shortage of warm-weather art world detours for collectors who, after Christmas, are thoroughly done with the cold. Up front, this isn’t about fairs in different geographies competing for attention. Instead, it’s about regional expansion and the accelerating localization of the fair circuit. The global fair and art week calendar now gives different destinations comparable billing, and so where collectors go when happenings overlap is driven not by trendiness or the market but by their collecting priorities and their interest in what else a destination might offer beyond art.

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For galleries, the question is whether a fair can realistically deliver access to clients, relationship-building and, increasingly, structural support that extends beyond sales. For collectors, the calculus is strikingly similar, as they look for opportunities for research, acquisition and taste development, as well as opportunities to connect more meaningfully with a creative ecosystem.

After more than a decade of fair travel—and having witnessed art scenes at vastly different stages of development as the circuit globalized—I find myself drawn to places I haven’t been yet, or haven’t been enough, where discovery and learning are still possible. What feels less rewarding is returning year after year to the same fairs, especially in regions I already follow closely, where the global brands increasingly present a homogeneous blue-chip lineup with only a handful of surprises tucked into curated sections.

Right now, in terms of February fairs and art weeks, Doha, Mexico City and Los Angeles feel less like competing options than distinct propositions. Their different formats, different vibes and different art offerings will naturally appeal to different collectors. Here’s what to expect at each.

What you’ll find at Mexico City Art Week

Choose Mexico City Art Week if you’re looking to connect—or reconnect—with a fully developed art ecosystem of galleries, museums and, above all, artists. This is a scene whose foundations were laid in the 1990s, when artistic communities held more sway over the conversation than market structures. The first Expoarte fair, in fact, came out of an initiative by artists and collectors in Guadalajara—Mexico’s second city—which still boasts one of the country’s strongest artist communities.

Over the past decade, the Mexican art scene has experienced significant growth, driven largely by internal forces, including the steady rise of local galleries and, most crucially, the launch of ZONAMACO by Zélika García in 2004, which provided Mexico with a durable international platform. For better or worse, the scene’s globalization accelerated during and after the pandemic, as Mexico City became a favored destination for travelers well beyond the art world.

Now in its 12th iteration, ZONAMACO’s 2026 edition will assemble 228 galleries from 26 countries across its main and curated sections. One section not to miss—especially if discovery is your priority—is EJES, dedicated to emerging talent from Mexico and the wider region. Curated by Buenos Aires–based Aimé Iglesias Lukin, EJES brings together galleries, hybrid spaces, and independent projects responding to this year’s theme of “exchange.”

For those looking to expand a Latin American–focused collection, Mexico City Art Week also offers access to some of the most compelling gallery programs in the region, with acquisition opportunities at far more accessible price points. In Mexico, you see something, you love it and you buy it. In the process, you may form a genuine human connection with the gallery, which is something deeply ingrained in Latin cultural dynamics. ZONAMACO’s additional sections devoted to design, photography, books and works on paper further broaden the field, making it possible to support Mexican and Latin creatives at virtually every scale and budget. The 2026 edition also introduces new sections, such as ZONAMACO FORMA, which focuses on the intersection of art and collectible design.

“I’m interested in seeing how different types of collectors respond, from those with long-standing experience to those buying their first work,” founder and director Zélika García told Observer. “There’s genuine excitement around emerging voices, artists, projects, and galleries that are shaping new directions, and that energy runs throughout the fair.”

Beyond ZONAMACO, Mexico City Art Week is defined as much by its satellite fairs as by its main event. Feria MATERIAL and SALÓN ACME, in particular, offer access to younger artists and galleries at similarly accessible price points—often just before broader market recognition. Feria Material’s relatively low participation fees have made it especially attractive to younger, research-driven dealers from around the world, who are drawn to the fair for its curated selection, sustainability and focus........

© Observer