Tariffs and Tensions: How President Trump’s New Trade War Reshapes the Art World—on Both Sides of the Atlantic
By Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar, The Art Bystander
On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump, newly re-elected and emboldened, delivered what he called “Liberation Day”—a sweeping announcement of new tariffs designed to punish trading partners and reignite American manufacturing. A universal 10% levy on all imports into the United States begins April 5, followed by targeted hikes—20% on goods from the European Union, and up to 60% on Chinese imports.
While industry analysts scrambled to assess the impact on automobiles and semiconductors, the art world has again become collateral damage in a geopolitical standoff. This isn’t just an economic maneuver—it’s a cultural rupture.
The Transatlantic Fracture
Back in 2019, similar tariffs under Trump’s first administration shook the art ecosystem. At that time, institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Getty voiced concern, but a certain ambiguity around “cultural goods” left space to maneuver. In 2025, there’s less room for optimism.
For European galleries, these tariffs raise stark questions:
Will American collectors be deterred from buying European art if the final price includes a 20% import tax?
Will participation in U.S. art fairs become cost-prohibitive?
Could museums reconsider or delay transatlantic loans due to shipping and customs complications?
For U.S.-based buyers, the implications are equally severe:
Collecting across borders just got significantly more expensive.
Works sourced from European fairs or artists may now carry hefty import fees.
Institutions relying on foreign exhibitions or donations could face financial and administrative hurdles.
Cultural Exchange at Risk
The EU-U.S. relationship has long been a cornerstone of global art trade. From TEFAF Maastricht to Art Basel Miami Beach, the ecosystem has been nourished by open borders, shared exhibitions, and collectors who move fluidly between continents. These tariffs don't just impose costs—they signal a philosophical departure from globalism toward protectionism. And culture is not immune.
If left unchallenged, this policy may result in a chilling effect on cultural diplomacy, institutional collaboration, and even artistic representation. In short, it threatens to turn the art world inward.
What Can Stakeholders Do?
Whether you’re a curator in Brussels, a dealer in New York, or a collector in Berlin, now is the time to act strategically.
For European galleries and institutions:
Reassess U.S. fair participation: Budget with new tariffs in mind or seek U.S.-based storage to lower import frequency.
Build alliances within Europe and the Global South: Strengthen intra-European exchange and look toward emerging markets less affected by the U.S. shift.
Clarify customs codes: Work with logistics experts to determine if artworks may qualify for exemptions (e.g., long-term loans, temporary imports for exhibitions).
For U.S.-based collectors and institutions:
Negotiate purchase terms with galleries to share or defer tariffs.
Invest in domestic markets as international sourcing becomes less predictable.
Engage in advocacy: Join institutional efforts to push for cultural exemptions to avoid lumping art in with mass consumer goods.
A Global Market, Rerouted
While tariffs are framed in the language of manufacturing and economic revival, they function here as cultural policy by proxy. They reroute the global art market, not just physically—but ideologically. They ask: who gets to participate, who gets to show, and who gets to own?
The art world—always sensitive to broader social and political forces—must now evolve quickly. This is not just a fiscal issue. It’s a curatorial, commercial, and ethical one.
Trump’s tariffs mark a turning point. But if the art world is anything, it’s resilient. The question now is whether it will resist, adapt, or reinvent its global dialogue.
