Comprehensive Guide to New York City’s Spring Art Fairs
While the New York City flowers haven’t all reared their hopeful heads yet, weary of spurious spring weather, numerous art fairs are about to pop up across the boroughs.
Coming back to The Shed this May, Frieze is usually the premier fair for contemporary art collectors, market-watchers, and trend-forcasters alike, but it’s certainly not the be-all end-all of the season. We’ve assembled this guide knowing that there’s something for everyone out there, including but not limited to: radical zine fanatics, Dolly Parton stans (stay with us), collectors on a budget (and we mean budget!), and those looking to deepen their knowledge of deep-seated art historical legacies.
We’re especially looking forward to the Black Zine Fair’s free community-based programming and workshops, drawing dealers coming to the IFPDA Print Fair for the first time, and the chance to see art by some of this year’s Venice Biennale participants. And if you want more, check out our exhibition recommendations for the upcoming season here.
Affordable Art Fair
March 18–22 | affordableartfair.com
Starrett-Lehigh Building, 601 W 26th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Kasia Frankowicz’s acrylic and oil pastel painting “Just Us” (2025) is on sale for $1,000 at the Affordable Art Fair. (image courtesy Affordable Art Fair)
The Affordable Art Fair returns to New York City this week with its typical price range of $100 to $12,000, gathering 90 exhibitors showing works geared toward both newcomer and veteran collectors. This year, 24 years after its first New York show, the event is embracing the unofficial tag “The Art Fair Zohran Mamdani Would Love,” a nod to the new mayor’s affordability agenda. On Thursday, March 19, visitors who bring and donate art supplies to a public school supplies drive will gain free admission.
Outsider Art Fair
March 19–22 | outsiderartfair.com
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
Sam Doyle’s “Dr Bus Ha Lo” (c. 1980) (image courtesy The Gallery of Everything)
For orange wine types and devotees of the unorthodox, the Outsider Art Fair is back to Chelsea’s Metropolitan Pavilion with 68 exhibitors from across the United States and the world, including nonprofits and studios, showing work by artists who create without conventional arts training. This year, the fair is organizing From the North, an exhibition of works by Inuit artists, including the acclaimed Cape Dorset graphic and textile artist Kenojuak Ashevak. Plus, proceeds from a silent auction of donated works will go to the nonprofit God’s Love We Deliver, created in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
New York International Antiquarian Book Fair
April 30–May 3 | nyantiquarianbookfair.com
Park Ave Armory, 643 Park Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
A collection of photographs taken in the 1940s related to the Department of the New York City Subway (image courtesy Daniel Oliver, New York International Antiquarian Book Fair)
A $50,000 copy of Jean Henri Latude’s memoirs signed by Thomas Jefferson, a peculiar illustrated book about fencing gifted to King Louis XIV’s second cousin, and a $27,500 signed copy of Fahrenheit 451. These and more will all be on view at the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, which opens this spring at the Park Avenue Armory with 170 exhibitors. For its 66th edition, the fair, organized by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, will present panel conversations with contemporary writers, including Eve Babitz biographer Lili Anolik.
IFPDA Print Fair
April 9–12 | fineartprintfair.org
Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Paula Rego, “Untitled” (2000/2020), edition of 50 (© Estate of Paula Rego, courtesy Ostrich Arts Ltd and Cristea Roberts Gallery)
The International Fine Prints & Drawings Association (IFPDA) is debuting its rebrand this coming April, marking the fair’s first-ever inclusion of drawing dealers in the historic print-centered event. Among the 80 exhibitors in this year’s show, special standouts include Cristea Roberts Gallery’s presentation of Paula Rego’s abortion etchings, David Zwirner’s spotlight on newly represented artist Louis Fratino and Burnet Editions’ presentation of Fratino’s self-portrait etchings, and Louise Bourgeois’s spiral woodcuts through Caroline Nitsch.
Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair
April 9–12 | powerhousearts.org
Powerhouse Arts, 322 3rd Avenue, Gowanus, Brooklyn
A workshop held by Bill Fick at a previous iteration of