The 14th edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach closed amid reports of strong sales and an enthusiastic reception from collectors, institutions, gallerists and critics from across the Americas and the world

Pairing curated installations of Modern and contemporary work with stimulating programming, Art Basel’s 2015 edition featured strong sales across all levels of the market. Presenting 267 leading international galleries from 32 countries, the show attracted an attendance of 77,000 over five days, including major private collectors as well as directors, curators, trustees and patrons of nearly 200 museum and institution groups. Collectors from over 110 countries attended the show, with first- time collectors coming from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Romania, Togo and Zimbabwe. The show was spearheaded by Noah Horowitz, Art Basel’s newly appointed Director Americas.

Art Basel, whose Lead Partner is UBS, once again confirmed its position as the premier art fair in the Americas, with over half of all exhibitors having gallery spaces in the region. Along with a robust roster of returning galleries – reflecting a 98 percent reapplication rate – 29 exhibitors participated in Miami Beach for the first time, including several young European galleries: Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler (Berlin), Galeria Plan B (Cluj, Berlin), Galerie Gregor Staiger (Zurich) and KOW (Berlin). Three galleries from Asia came to Miami Beach for the first time: Beijing Art Now Gallery (Beijing), Tokyo Gallery + BTAP (Tokyo, Beijing) and White Space Beijing (Beijing). New galleries from the United States included George Adams Gallery (New York), Castelli Gallery (New York), Essex Street (New York), François Ghebaly Gallery (Los Angeles) and Jenkins Johnson Gallery (San Francisco, New York).

Attendees included curators, directors and patrons groups from important institutions from around the world, including Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago); Aspen Art Museum (Aspen); Burger Collection (Hong Kong); Brooklyn Museum (New York); Centre Pompidou (Paris); Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland); Carnegie Museum (Pittsburgh); Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, D.C.); Institute of Contemporary Arts (London); KW Institute for Contemporary Art (Berlin); La Maison Rouge – Fondation Antoine de Galbert (Paris); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles); Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires); Museo de Arte de Lima (Lima); The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York); Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo (Mexico City); The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (Los Angeles); Museu de Arte de São Paulo (São Paulo); Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (Chicago); Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (Cleveland); Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Houston); Museum of Modern Art (New York); MoMA PS1 (New York); Nasher Sculpture Center (Dallas); Palais de Tokyo (Paris); Philadelphia Art Museum (Philadelphia); The Power Plant (Toronto); Serpentine Galleries (London); Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York); Tate (London); Walker Art Center (Minneapolis) and Whitney Museum of American Art (New York).

Participating galleries described their experiences with enthusiasm: 'It was surprising to see how Art Basel in Miami Beach, which already had in the previous years a top standard, could still increase its level by showing high quality art and  attracting many new collectors from around the world. We are very happy that we could place all of the important works we brought, and were positively surprised by the connoisseurship of many visitors.' Thaddaeus Ropac, Founder & Director, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, Salzburg 'We wish we had brought more work because we've sold 80 percent of the booth. We're really happy that sales have been across the board from historical to younger artists.’ Andrea Rosen, President, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York 'We had an excellent fair, if not one of the best Art Basel in Miami Beach shows ever. We sold a number of high quality pieces. There was sales activity every day, not only at the opening, with a good mix of new contacts and returning collectors.’ Annette Kicken, Owner, Kicken Berlin, Berlin 'We usually do well at this fair, but this year, we had an exceptional experience and sold out the entire booth on the first day. Collectors are informed, thoughtful and very actively interested, so this has been a truly exhilarating experience for us.’ Susanne Vielmetter, Owner / Director, Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, Culver City 'Art Basel in Miami Beach gets stronger each year, and the key factor in its success is the mix of collectors buying emerging artists along with collectors, museums and foundations buying mid-career and historic work at much higher price points. Visitors are focused on the fair itself, rather than being distracted outside. I only wish that all fairs could be to the ultimate level of Art Basel.’