Frieze Art Fair Acquired by New Company Led by Ari Emanuel

‍ ⁢ Los Angeles-based Endeavor Group Holdings,⁤ a major player in talent management, sports, and entertainment, announced on May 1st that⁢ Frieze, the prominent ⁢exhibition and editorial group, will transition to a newly formed company. The venture is spearheaded by Ari Emanuel, former CEO‍ of Endeavor.

According to⁢ the Financial Times,the acquisition of Frieze was finalized for approximately $200 million. The agreement encompasses Frieze’s seven international art fairs, including Frieze New York, which is scheduled to run from May 7-11. The ⁢deal⁢ also includes Frieze magazine.

Emanuel’s Vision for Frieze

Emanuel signaled his interest in acquiring Frieze last November, alongside bids for the madrid ⁤Open⁢ and⁢ Miami open tennis⁣ tournaments. Endeavor initially invested in Frieze in 2016,when the fair already had established⁣ presences in London and new⁣ York. Since then, Frieze has expanded to Los Angeles (2019) and Seoul (2022). In 2023,Frieze acquired two U.S.‍ art fairs facing challenges: Chicago ⁤and the Armory Show in New York.
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⁤ Emanuel, as⁤ quoted by ArtNews, stated, “Having worked wiht the team for almost a decade, I first saw the strength of their community and the ambition that guides their mission to expand the scope and understanding of contemporary art. Frieze is well positioned for further growth and represents a strategic milestone in our new global events platform.”

Continuity in‍ Leadership

⁣ ‍ Despite the change in ownership, the fair’s internal structure will remain intact.CEO Simon Fox emphasized continuity, stating, “This news marks an ⁣exciting new chapter for Frieze. Our commitment to quality and support for the artistic community remains at the center of what we do. With the support of the new property,we are in an ideal ⁣position to accelerate our creativity,collaboration⁣ and growth.”
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