SoundScape Park

Founded in Basel, Switzerland, by local gallerists Trudl Bruckner, Balz Hilt, and Ernst Beyeler, Art Basel was launched in 1970 as a bold experiment—one conceived by gallerists, for the benefit of galleries, artists and collectors. From the outset, it combined commercial rigor with curatorial ambition, bringing together 90 leading galleries and 30 publishers from 10 countries, and showcasing artists from across Europe and beyond.

The inaugural edition welcomed over 16,000 visitors and introduced thematic exhibitions and forward-looking thematic sectors such as New Trends , establishing Art Basel early on as a site for discovery, experimentation, and international exchange.