Last week, Artnet hosted a live virtual event with Editor-in-Chief Naomi Rea and senior reporter Katya Kazakina that explored the investigative cover story for the latest Intelligence Report: The Year Ahead 2026 about the rise of private auctions.
These are highly curated sales that take place outside the traditional public auction format. They’re quieter, more controlled, and—crucially—far less transparent since often the results of these sales are never known.
Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/ Getty Images.
During the event, audience members had the chance put their questions about these events to the Artnet team—and they were great questions, ranging from “what do these sales even look like?” to “are they regulated or not?”
In this week’s episode, host Margaret Carrigan picks up where the conversation left off, offering expanded answers and a close look at how these discreet deals are reshaping the art auction landscape.
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