Kirsten Sims, “A bit over the top,” 2025. Acrylic on Italian cotton framed in solid ash. (Courtesy of the artist and Alison Milne Co.)
If its name is any indication, Future Fair is all about looking forward. Since its launch in 2020, the organization has curated community-focused exhibitions in New York every year, each highlighting those at the forefront of the contemporary art scene. The fair’s sixth edition, which will once again be held at Chelsea Industrial, offers yet another glimpse into the creative practices that augur—and ultimately define—our collective future.
On view from May 14 to 16, this year’s Future Fair will gather together nearly 70 brick-and-mortar galleries, artist-run initiatives, and collaborative platforms. This curatorial principle is intentional, subverting a gallery-centric program in favor of more diverse and at times decentralized coalitions. For that reason, the fair prizes evolution, access, and growth above all else, uniting both new and established artists, galleries, curators, and collectors in one cohesive environment.
“Behind every booth are artists who have spent months in their studios bringing these works into being,” fair co-founders Rachel Mijares Fick and Rebecca Laliberte explain. “We want visitors to feel that excitement, dedication, and joy when they enter the fair.”
Though encompassing exhibitors from nine countries across four continents, Future Fair champions New York and its surrounding areas in particular. Almost half of the 2026 roster hails from the tri-state area, including The Painting Center, Vellum Projects, BolsterArts, 81 Leonard Gallery, and Criss Collaborations, among others. Even a precursory glance at the fair’s featured exhibitors reveals a certain level of independence, with emerging and smaller institutions prized above the blue-chip galleries that often dominate New York’s arts ecosystem.
It’s a clever model—and one that’s gaining increased traction not just within the art world, but on the cultural stage as a whole. The Other Art Fair, for instance, has long presented artist-run booths rather than gallery-run ones, allowing creatives to directly engage with collectors, visitors, and fans alike without external barriers. Even industry heavyweights are revisiting their programs, with renowned art fairs like Frieze and Art Basel incorporating sections specifically dedicated to uplifting new voices and trailblazers within contemporary art.
“While headlines might dwell on challenges and gallery closures, another story is unfolding: new galleries opening, fresh perspectives rising, and a growing sense of hope that keeps our community moving forward,” Fick and Laliberte continue.
Also returning this year is Future Fair’s Pay-It-Forward Fund, originally introduced in 2025. The initiative allocates 15% of the fair’s annual profits and reinvests them as grants for select participating galleries and art dealers, all with the goal of molding a more sustainable and equitable art market. Participating exhibitors, ticket-buyers, and partners also have the opportunity to contribute toward the fund, encouraging more established galleries to “support a more diverse range of peers,” per the art fair.
These various elements paint a compelling picture, one that consults the future of art as a starting point for change in the present day. Future Fair will land at Chelsea Industrial for its VIP preview day on May 13, with public days beginning on May 14, 2026. To learn more and plan your own visit, check out Future Fair’s website.
In May, Future Fair returns to New York with a slate of more than 60 exhibitors, ranging from brick-and-mortar galleries to artist-run initiatives.
Paul Anagnostopoulos, “Release the Weight,” 2024. Acrylic and oil on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Feia)
Xavier Tavera, “Unsettled,” 2026. (Courtesy of the artist and Cruise)
Kaori Izumiya, “Stillness 01,” 2026. Oil on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Wishbone Gallery)
Angela Burson, “Night Train,” 2026. Acrylic on linen. (Courtesy of the artist and Hashimoto Contemporary)
Diane Briones Williams, “Diwata,” 2025. Wool on aida cloth. (Courtesy of the artist and Official Welcome)
Chris Cortez, “Illuminame,” 2025. Oil on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and BolsterArts)
Lily Rose Fine, “Branching,” 2025. Oil on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Wondering People)
The 2026 Future Fair will be held between May 14 and 16 at Chelsea Industrial.
Laura Noguera, “Dos es Uno.” (Courtesy of the artist and Policroma Gallery)
Joan Bankemper, “Piedmont,” 2024. Ceramic. (Courtesy of the artist Nancy Hoffman)
Dale Emmart, “Ensign,” 2025. Oil on paper. (Courtesy of the artist and the Painting Center)
exonemo, “As long as ________ is not ________,” 2026. Mixed media. (Courtesy of the artist and NowHere)
David McDonough, “Slow Growth,” 2025. Acrylic on wood panel. (Courtesy of the artist and Good Naked Gallery)
Kaori Izumiya, “#03,” 2024. Oil on canvas. (Courtesy of the artist and Wishbone Gallery)
Future Fair: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Future Fair.
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