For the 44th episode of Reading the Art World, host Megan Fox Kelly speaks with András Szántó—cultural strategist, writer, and longtime observer of museums and markets—about his new book, "The Future of the Art World: 38 Dialogues," published by Hatje Cantz.

The book brings together 38 conversations with artists, curators, sociologists, philosophers, collectors, gallerists, and institutional leaders—what Szántó describes as a “stained-glass window” onto the art world’s possible futures. Rather than advancing a single thesis, the dialogues map the pressures shaping the field: the dominance of mega-galleries and the squeeze on mid-sized dealers, the erosion of traditional art criticism and what may replace it, the precarious economics of artistic careers, and whether today’s system is evolving gradually or approaching a more fundamental realignment.

Their conversation takes up the scale of the global art world—some 300 art fairs, more than 100,000 museums, and a market approaching $60 billion—and asks whether that expansion has altered the system in kind, not only in size. They discuss the role of the art advisor within an increasingly complex ecosystem, the importance of criticism in sustaining the values the market depends on, and whether artificial intelligence may emerge as a new connective tissue for engagement with art. Szántó is cautiously optimistic, pointing to developments such as the emergence of gallery districts in Tribeca, the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building, and the reopening of the Frick—while remaining clear-eyed about the structural headwinds ahead.

For those working within the art world—as well as those seeking to understand it—this conversation offers something rare: the breadth of 38 dialogues distilled into a single, considered one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

András Szántó, PhD, advises museums, foundations, educational institutions, and leading brands worldwide on cultural strategy. He has directed the Museums of Tomorrow Roundtable at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Global Museum Leaders Colloquium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Arts Journalism Program at Columbia University. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Artforum, and The Art Newspaper. Born in Budapest, he lives in Brooklyn.

PURCHASE THE BOOK

https://andras-szanto.com/book/the-future-of-the-art-world-38-dialogues/

Note: click the “ask a question” button to see the AI feature mentioned in the episode.

SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND HEAR INTERVIEWS:

For more information, visit meganfoxkelly.com, hear our past interviews, and subscribe at the bottom of our Of Interest page for new posts.

"Reading the Art World" is a podcast featuring live interviews with leading authors and writers on important new art books. Megan Fox Kelly is an art advisor and past President of the Association of Professional Art Advisors who works with collectors, estates and foundations.

Music composed by Bob Golden