The Independent art fair, which stages two New York editions each year — a contemporary fair in the spring and a 20th-century edition in the autumn — has been acquired by the London-based conglomerate Informa, ARTnews reported on 2 October. The sale actually closed last year, meaning both of this year's fairs were staged under Informa's ownership before the deal became public. Founded by Elizabeth Dee, Independent has built its identity around an unusual model for an art fair: prospective exhibitors are nominated by the fair's team rather than chosen through an application process, and shared booths are common, giving the events a museum-like feel. That reputation has helped it punch above its weight in New York's crowded fair calendar. Its Independent 20th Century edition recently expanded by 75 percent, presenting around 57 exhibitors and more than 130 artists at Sotheby's Breuer building on Madison Avenue. The buyer is one of the world's largest business-to-business events groups. Informa runs roughly 500 events and exhibitions around the world and reported about £2.4 billion in annual revenue, with its Informa Markets division a powerhouse in trade shows spanning sectors from yachting to design. The company is no stranger to the art-fair business: in 2019 it acquired the Art Miami group, whose fairs draw some 400 dealers and more than 300,000 visitors a year, and said at the time it would keep the fairs and their staff in place. The acquisition extends a consolidation wave across the fair sector, where independent organisers increasingly partner with — or sell to — large events groups to survive rising costs and venue pressures. Independent's leadership frames the move optimistically, arguing the fair's future is bright and that, with Informa's backing, it can push further toward its ambition of redefining what an art fair can be with the spirit of a museum exhibition.