The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) has cancelled the 37th edition of The Art Show, its long-running annual fair held at the Park Avenue Armory. The event, originally scheduled to open with a benefit preview on October 28th, will not take place this year for the first time in decades. In an email sent to members on July 16th, the ADAA said the decision is a “strategic pause.”
“While we understand this news may be disappointing, we believe this pause presents a meaningful opportunity to reimagine The Art Show with long-term sustainability and member value in mind,” the email read, as reported by ArtNews. “It allows us to evaluate how best to support our members, partners, and the broader arts community in an evolving cultural and market landscape.”
The ADAA stated that the fair will return in 2026. The Art Show has been held annually since 1988, serving as a key event for New York collectors and galleries across the United States. It also has a charitable mission to support Henry Street Settlement, a social service and cultural organization on New York’s Lower East Side. It also has a charitable mission to support Henry Street Settlement, a social service and cultural organization on New York’s Lower East Side. The ADAA has undergone recent changes in leadership, with The ADAA has undergone recent changes in leadership, with Kinsey Robb taking up the role of executive director shortly after Maureen Bray announced her departure in July 2024. Ahead of the 36th edition of the fair last fall, Robb told Artsy that, “One of the cool things about The Art Show is that there’s a coming together—a sense of pride for not just the high bar set by the membership, but also this sense you’re part of a group, you’re not an island.”
A spokesperson from the ADAA cited external factors as the reason for the cancellation. “As the landscape of arts funding continues to shift—with declining federal support, institutional layoffs, and the loss of critical grants—the ADAA is reflecting on how best to sustain its long-term commitment to the arts and recognizes the need to recalibrate its philanthropic approach to ensure the future stability of the arts ecosystem,” the spokesperson told Artsy.
The spokesperson described the decision as a chance to plan for the future, emphasizing that it “was not a response to financial pressure, nor was it a reflection of exhibitor interest,” but rather “a strategic step to realign the ADAA’s initiatives with our core mission.”
Still, the announcement comes amid a backdrop of financial uncertainty in the art market. In recent weeks, major American dealers Tim Blum and Adam Lindemann announced the closure of their galleries. Blum announced he intended to move toward a “more flexible model,” condemning the current state of the market as unsustainable.
