The 59th Art Cologne opens today, 5 to 8 November 2026, at Koelnmesse Hall 11 — the final edition in that hall before the fair moves in 2027 to Hall 1 and the new Confex complex. Under director Daniel Hug, roughly 164 to 165 galleries from 22 countries are taking part, among them about 47 that are either first-timers or returning after a long absence. Founded in 1967, Art Cologne remains the oldest fair of its kind.
Sections and schedule
The fair is organised in the familiar sections: Galleries, Neumarkt (around 35 younger galleries), Collaborations and Art + Object. Thursday’s invited preview runs from 12:00 to 16:00; the public vernissage follows from 16:00 to 20:00. Friday to Sunday bring regular fair hours.
What to look for
Among the booths drawing early attention are Mennour (with work connected to the recent Hahn Prize context around Lee Ufan — a brief nod, not a second prize story), Continua, and Nino Mier with sculpture by Stefan Rinck. Dierking presents a mirror-room installation by Christian Megert, recalling his Documenta appearance in 1968. Further highlights include works by Eva Lootz and Hermann Nitsch.
Parallel to the commercial programme, ZADIK shows research on art trade between the GDR and the FRG from 1949 to 1990 — a reminder that Cologne’s fair history is also a history of Cold War borders. The New Positions programme again gives space to 18 emerging artists.
A fair at a turning point
Leaving Hall 11 is more than a floorplan change. For dealers and collectors who have known Art Cologne’s scale and rhythm for years, 2026 is a last look at a familiar architecture — and a test of how Hug’s mix of blue-chip names, younger Neumarkt dealers and historical side programmes holds up before the move. For visitors, it is simply one of the densest autumn weekends on the European fair calendar.