The Best Art Festivals Across the Globe That Will Warm Your Artsy Heart

One of the most coveted art festivals is the Switzerland-based Art Basel, which has also had a counterpart established in Miami since 2002. It presents art from over 4,000 artists spread across the entire globe. You can catch the Miami edition with ease — but if you do happen to visit Switzerland, try to fit Art Basel into your trip, and it will be a memory worth curating.

This Italian art festival is held every two years and is considered the most prestigious art festival in Europe. The city of Venice itself carries a profound artistic heritage, and the Biennial can be seen as one of the culmination points of that culture. Current attendance stands somewhere between 300–400,000 — and you will not only meet a wealth of young artists, but plenty of like-minded art lovers as well.

Asian art festivals tend to offer a selection of art you simply won't see at their European counterparts. Hong Kong being one of Asia's greatest cosmopolitan cities, this fair becomes one of the largest gatherings of modern Asian art styles anywhere. The Hong Kong International Art Fair is considered the Art Basel of Asia, and it presents one of the most varied mixtures of artistic styles on the calendar.

This New York-based, four-day art festival is an event every American should visit at least once in their lifetime. It draws plenty of visitors from outside the art world too, thanks to the wonderfully varied bag of styles it displays. During the same event period, smaller counterpart shows spring up all across New York. The Armory Show is one of the holy grails of modern art lovers.

This premier Japanese art festival is probably the only one of its rank held in villages. Over 200 villages take part in the Etchigo Sumari art festival, which features more than 300 artists. It is a one-of-a-kind event, held once every three years. If you ever have the chance to visit the Etchigo Sumari, do not miss it at any cost!

Going strong with a history of forty years, the Ireland-based Kilkeni arts festival hosts a wealth of artists, musicians, dancers and visual artists. It is a ten-day festival, packed end to end with events and displays. The Kilkeni festival is perhaps one of the best all-in-one art festivals in and around the UK — and it is also known for hosting some of the best visual artists in the sub-continent.