Informa Acquires Independent Art Fair, Founder Elizabeth Dee Stays On

Informa Buys Independent

Independent, the New York art fair organizer behind the spring contemporary fair and the fall Independent 20th Century, has been acquired by London-based conglomerate Informa. The sale was completed last year, meaning both 2026 editions took place under Informa ownership.

The news was shared with exhibitors on Friday afternoon. Independent founder and creative director Elizabeth Dee confirmed to ARTnews that she will stay on in her current role and continue overseeing both fairs.

Independent will remain separate from Informa's South Florida Ventures, which operates Untitled Art, Art Miami, and Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary.

A Fair With a Distinct Identity

Independent launched in 2010 at a former warehouse in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood previously home to the Dia Center for the Arts. It was cofounded by Dee, then a New York gallerist, along with White Columns director Matthew Higgs, who continues as curatorial adviser.

The fair became known for a layout that emphasized flow over the boxy booths typical of commercial trade shows. Press materials for the inaugural edition avoided the term “art fair,” opting instead for collective, consortium, and a “hybrid model and temporary exhibition forum.” Nonprofits exhibited alongside dealers, a combination that has since become common at many such events.

The first five iterations were staged at the former Dia building before moving to Spring Studios in Tribeca in 2016. Around that time, Independent briefly went international with Independent Brussels from 2016–18 at the former department store Espace Vanderborght.

Independent 20th Century and Recent Growth

In 2022, the company launched Independent 20th Century, conceived by Dee, Higgs, and Sofie Scheerlinck, formerly of the TEFAF fair, to focus on art from 1900 to 2000. It took place for four years at the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan before moving to the Breuer building for its fifth edition last week.

This year, the original Independent fair moved to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side, more than doubling its size. At the new venue, it made headlines for including fashions by Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo in what was her first-ever solo art fair presentation. The move to the Breuer building also drew attention, as the Brutalist masterpiece had been acquired by Sotheby’s in 2023, and the auctioneer joined as a partner for the fair. The new venue allowed the fair to expand to 57 exhibitors, up from 31 at its previous downtown edition.

In its report on the 2026 fair, ARTnews wrote, “Despite nearly doubling in size, the fair remains viewer friendly.”

Informa’s Profile

Formed in 1998 and headquartered in London, Informa is a publishing, business intelligence, and exhibitions group that organizes trade shows worldwide across industries including comic books, aviation, cosmetics, health and wellness, food and hospitality, pharmaceuticals, jewelry, fashion, ceramics, computer security, tech, energy, and boats. Its report on the first half of 2026 indicated $2.7 billion in revenue and an adjusted operating profit of $723.7 million.

Among Informa’s major shareholders are BlackRock, Newton Investment Management, Lazard Asset Management, Norges Bank, Artemis Investment Manager, and Invesco. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is part of the FTSE 100 Index. Its 14,000 employees are spread over some 42 countries. The acquisition of Independent marks Informa’s first New York–based art brand. Other notable ventures include the Monaco Yacht Show and Cannes Lions. Also under Informa is South Florida Ventures, operator of Untitled Art, Art Miami, and Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary; Independent will remain separate from South Florida Ventures.

Continuity and Autonomy

Dee told exhibitors that on the eve of Independent’s milestone 20th anniversary, the timing was right to find a partner to support continued growth while remaining true to its mission. She cited the achievements of Independent in May and Independent 20th Century in September—both realized as part of Informa—as evidence of commitment to exhibition quality.

“Both Independent and Informa remain committed to Independent’s creative and curatorial autonomy under the leadership of our team,” Dee wrote to exhibitors. She added that the organization intends to grow as a curated platform for modern and contemporary art and that the partnership will provide new opportunities for Independent and its participating galleries.