The U.S. art market posted its first annual growth since 2022, with total auction sales rising 23% year-over-year to $3.17 billion, according to Bank of America’s 2026 U.S. Art Market Report produced in partnership with ArtTactic. The rebound signals stabilization after more than two years of contraction.
Drew Watson, Head of Art Services at Bank of America, described the recovery as “not a return to speculation, but a return to discipline,” noting that major collections and estates came to market, allowing collectors to prioritize quality, provenance, and long-term significance. Second-half 2025 sales surged 54% year-over-year, while the number of lots sold declined nearly 20% and sell-through rates reached a three-year high.
The Impressionist and Modern segments drove much of the rebound. Guaranteed value share in New York Evening Sales climbed to 78% in 2025. Sales of works by women artists have increased 105% over the past decade, and the Western United States accounted for 35% of domestic art purchases.