TEFAF Maastricht Rescheduled For June 25-30, Signaling Confidence For Global Art World

The 35th edition of TEFAF Maastricht will take place June 25-30, signaling tenacity that the global art world is safely emerging from the worst of the pandemic, TEFAF Chairman Hidde van Seggelen said.

“The more we see fairs coming back in person, the more people will feel confident visiting as well as participating in fairs,” van Seggelen said in an email interview. “We naturally take these steps cautiously to ensure everyone feels safe participating in a TEFAF fair, but working towards an in-person fair is certainly cause for hope.”

Originally scheduled for March 12-20, TEFAF Maastricht was postponed on December 15, 2021, amid mounting worries over the spread of COVID-19. Organizers have since been working with the fair’s suppliers and stakeholders to ensure a prudent return to the in-person experience. TEFAF’s Board of Trustees and its Executive Committee, composed of 13 dealers who represent the interests of the fair’s exhibitors and seven non-dealers, agreed on the new dates. 

“As the circumstances surrounding COVID continue to evolve in the coming months, TEFAF will work in collaboration with the Maastricht and wider Dutch authorities to ensure every possible protection measure is in place. TEFAF will put in place stringent safety procedures in keeping with international event standards to ensure exhibitors and visitors feel confident that they are protected,” van Seggelen said. “Further details will be announced in the coming months.”

Besides the 35th anniversary of the widely regarded global art fair, 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund, both of which will be celebrated in Maastricht and at TEFAF New York in May, said van Seggelen. TEFAF is bolstering TEFAF Stories, featuring an array of articles, interviews, and videos that will be available throughout the year.

“The scope of TEFAF Maastricht will continue to be its greatest strength – nowhere else can you experience over 7,000 years of art history in person, and we have bolstered this by taking greater advantage of digital opportunities through TEFAF Online,” van Seggelen said. “Ensuring our fairs are safe and secure for all is of paramount importance – we will implement rigorous COVID protocols at the fair.”

TEFAF is collaborating closely with stand builder Stabilo International and Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC) to safely uphold the highest standards, van Seggelen said. The opulent booths hosting masterpieces take months to build and weeks to install.

“We are incredibly grateful for the flexibility of the MECC in finding us a slot within their schedule to be able to take place in June. We will not have full use of the MECC this edition, meaning that the fair will take a slightly different shape and size, but we will still accommodate as many exhibitors as possible and are confident that this edition will continue to reflect the TEFAF Maastricht experience we know and love,” said van Seggelen. “This will be a unique edition of the fair and gives TEFAF the chance to create something different – all the more reason to visit.”