| Industry | Art |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 in Basel, Switzerland |
| Founders |
|
| Products | Art fairs |
Basel Social Club is an annual exhibition in Basel, Switzerland that runs concurrently with Art Basel week. [1] Highly site-specific and experimental in its curated work, the annual exhibition frequently changes venues in order to accommodate its different themes. [2] Atypical in its approach to the art fair, it has been seen as a more accessible, communal, and open event during Art Basel. [3]
In 2022, artist Robbie Fitzpatrick wanted to start a new project, rather than participate in traditional Art Basel art fairs. Ultimately, he decided to work with Hannah Weinburger, Jean-Claude Freymond-Guth, Yael Salomonowitz, and Dominik Müller to launch something new for Art Basel, which would later become Basel Social Club. [4]
The first edition of Basel Social Club thus happened during Art Basel week in 2022 in an abandoned estate on Bruderholz Hill. [5] [6] It was assembled by artists, gallerists, and curators looking to create "everything the art fair isn’t: communal, egalitarian, free and radically open to the public. No VIP lists, no special treatment—just a pulsing crowd moving through installations and performances with drinks in hand." [7]
In 2023, it was hosted in a former mayonnaise factory with siloes. [8] [3] The venue's owner had attended the first edition of Basel Social Club and recommended it for the following year. [4]
In 2024, it was hosted in a field in Bruderholz, on the outskirts of Basel, with a natural, open air, farm theme. [7] [6] [9]
In 2025, it was hosted in a building which was formerly a private bank. [10] The exhibition's theme was "value, exchange, and trade" and featured artists and galleries like Harlesden High Street, Kendra Jane Patrick, Anthea Hamilton, and Daniel Jasper. [1] [11] [12]