Art Basel will compensate dealers for the early closure of its Paris fair, held from 20 to 23 October in the Grand Palais, the fair company announced on 11 November, offering a 20 percent reduction on booth fees to every exhibitor. The fair was forced to shut down two days early because of violent rioting in the French capital, and the decision marks a rare instance of a major art fair offering financial compensation for a protest-related closure.

The French Comite Professionnel des Galeries d'Art, which represents 57 of the fair's 211 exhibitors, had sent a strongly worded letter to Art Basel Paris director Karim Crippa demanding fair compensation, complaining that the association had not been consulted before the closure was announced. Crippa responded with an across-the-board offer of a 20 percent reduction in stand fees to all participants, saying it offered a fair and considered way forward. Art Basel chief executive Noah Horowitz told ARTnews the figure was a fair and reasonable place to land.

The fair was open for three and a half days, with its ultra-VIP preview beginning on Tuesday 20 October and the fair closing on Friday, instead of the projected five and a half days, so it was shortened by about 36 percent. It was open to the public for only one day, Friday, instead of extending through the weekend as planned. Philippe Charpentier of Mor Charpentier gallery, president of the gallery association, said the compensation rate was what the committee expected, though some dealers may have sought a larger refund.

The reduction will apply to booth fees only, not to so-called special orders such as lighting and booth customisation, which are third-party expenses Art Basel does not control. Tickets purchased for the cancelled weekend have already been refunded. Art Basel is now preparing its Miami Beach edition, which runs from 2 to 6 December.