Art Basel and UBS release their 2026 “Survey of Global Collecting,” reporting that Gen Z is the highest-spending generation on art. Fortune and the PR Newswire outlet highlight that Gen Z’s spending is notable even as the oldest members of the generation are in their late 20s.
The survey examines how high-net-worth collectors start and develop collections. Sources say family influence remains important, while younger generations show increasing buying activity compared with older cohorts. Outlets also point to changing attitudes toward privacy, including a tendency among some collectors to keep collections offline rather than sharing them on social media. Fortune adds that Gen Z accounts for nearly half of high-net-worth collectors purchasing artwork priced around $1 million. PR Newswire also notes that collectors increasingly use digital and AI-enabled tools to research and evaluate works.
