See the full list of artists, thinkers, businesspeople and patrons here.
The Apollo 40 Under 40 maintained a tradition of talent spotting for more than 10 years. In terms of identifying the talents of a generation and finding leaders in their field, it has been unusually successful. Yet recently the idea of a list dictated by something as arbitrary as age has begun to feel unhelpful. Not everyone flourishes before they hit that landmark number. For many, as the saying goes, life begins at 40.
Which is why this year, we’re renaming the programme the Apollo 40. Its original purpose was to point readers in the direction of interesting artists, thinkers, curators and patrons who were changing the way things happened in the art world. This aim still holds.
The list is divided into four categories: Artists, which is self-explanatory; Thinkers, which includes cultural critics and museum professionals; Business, highlighting those who are finding ways to bring art to a wider audience and confirm its monetary value as much as its aesthetic worth; and Patrons & Advocates, who range from collectors to the founders of non-profits, steering the conversation about what art-making will look like in decades to come.
There is no getting away from the fact that lists come with a top and a bottom – and for many involved in art, this is anathema. But our aim is to celebrate, rather than encourage rivalries. Favouring the young added an unnecessary sense of competition to the results, but that’s not all we’ve rethought. Previous editions of 40 Under 40 were defined either by geographical location or theme. This is another organising principle we have revised. For this year, at least, the Apollo 40 includes people from the United States and the UK, from Brazil to Zambia. It is now a list of the best and most exciting figures in art from around the world.
We’ve compiled this list with the generous help of Cecilia Alemani, curator of High Line Art; Reem Fadda, director of the Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi; Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A; and artist Ibrahim Mahama, who tops the most recent ArtReview Power 100 list.
We celebrate people who are bringing new perspectives to the art world, finding new ways of doing things and enriching all of us in the process. Irrespective of location or age, they are defined by their excellence.
Click here to find out more about 40 people to watch in 2026.
Edward Behrens is editor of Apollo.