Lately, catastrophic notes and articles referring to the instability of the global art market are not lacking. It is true that economic instability in several countries, including important hubs for the dissemination and purchase of art such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, has caused uncertainty and reduced funding for established museums and art institutions. To this, let's add that the supply of emerging artists and galleries is more than the number of collectors can handle. What is also true is that the rules that allow a project to succeed in the art market are changing. Uncertainty and political turbulence present a challenge to the stability that mega-galleries and established art institutions had built in recent decades. We can interpret this tendency as a fatalistic sign, but it can also be read as an opportunity for new models of creation and representation to emerge.

As a case study, there are some galleries in London, such as the IBRAAZ gallery, Yan Du Projects, The Perimeter and the Brown Collection. These galleries are privately funded initiatives, which, unlike large museums and institutions, have not been so affected by the political instability of recent years, precisely because the funds do not come from public or government resources. Although the leaders of these initiatives do not like to refer to themselves as “museums”, their programming, agenda and activities are very similar, providing a curated and culturally relevant space where artists can advance their careers. At the same time, these initiatives have the freedom to choose the creative direction that best contributes to the representation of their artists and their intellectual interests, without being subject to government cuts or political interests, as has recently happened with the prohibition of “left-wing ideologies” in museums in the United States.

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If we look back at the art market in Mexico, it could be said that the professionalization of art has always been subject to instability and funding challenges in a context where public resources do not tend to prioritize contemporary art. While there is government support for culture in general, many contemporary art initiatives are primarily funded by the private sector or mixed funding schemes. The current situation in Mexico and Latin America is relevant because the supply of art is world-class, attracting collectors and media from all over the world, with the advantage of being able to resist inflation in logistics prices and changes in priorities at the government level. Whether due to adverse factors or not, the creation of independent galleries, fairs and artistic meeting spaces financed with private resources position emerging markets—such as Mexico, Latin American countries, Asia, etc.—as an interesting proposition and resilient to the adversities of today's art ecosystem. Artists, projects and galleries in these markets today face a possibility of redefining the industry and positioning themselves as leaders of creative thought. It remains to be seen how the general public will react and how new models of collaboration generate new ways of inspiring and relating to art.