While a long-awaited cut to value-added tax this January has been welcomed, Germany’s contracting economy has “scared” a number of gallerists, says director of world’s longest-running art fair

Daniel Hug posted that the Swiss company "is only interested in making money and keeping Art Basel the number one fair worldwide"

Both foreign and domestic art galleries benefit from the discount

Fine Arts Paris and Art Cologne boldly believed they could run Covid-secure events in November, but both have had to relent to new restrictions

Large-scale events have been banned in the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia, while travel has become restricted for international exhibitors

Less is more in the internet age, says organiser of fair which has dropped from 210 exhibitors to 176

Cooperating on messaging while maintaining individual identity proved key to drawing international collectors

First-time exhibitors give Art Cologne a boost

In a city of artists but few collectors, an overhauled fair hopes to drum up trade against competition from established Art Cologne and a new Düsseldorf event