The 37th edition of the Art Fair (ADAA) flagship art fair has been cancelled. It marks the first time in decades that the fair will not be held in the Park Avenue Armory.
Reviewed in a Wednesday email to members ArtnewsADAA leadership sees the “strategic pause” as the reason for the cancellation, adding that the board has made a decision “after careful review.” The fair was originally scheduled to open on October 28 and will open on October 28.
“While we understand this news may be disappointing, we believe this pause is a meaningful opportunity to reimagine art exhibitions with long-term sustainability and membership value,” the email reads. “It enables us to assess how best to support our members, partners and the wider art community in the evolving cultural and market landscape.”
Although this is an opportunity to plan for a long-term basis, the move highlights the wider sense of instability and reorganization in the art world. Over the past two weeks, two major art dealers, Tim Blum and Adam Lindemann, have announced that they are closing their doors, while art consultants Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher think it seems to be a fierce hatred for the court.
The ADAA’s decision adds the agency weight to an increasing list of layoffs.
The art exhibition began in 1988 and has long been a cornerstone event for Upper East Side collectors and dealers. Its grand preview night benefited the Henry Street settlement, which has raised more than $38 million for nonprofits over the past three decades.
According to the letter, exhibitors who submitted their deposits will be contacted next week for “information about reimbursement options.”
The Adaa board said the fair will return in 2026, “with a new vision.” Still, this year’s absence will surely intensify concerns about the unstable art market.
