As an exhibitor who has been part of the Affordable Art Fair Austin’s first three-years, Alan Scott, founder of Washington Gallery, shares his insights, areas of growth, and how they’ve hit their stride in an exciting new US market.

Over to Alan…

Where it all started

When my wife and I founded Washington Gallery in Waco, Texas, in May 2022, we were aware of stepping into a market without an established art scene. Previously, I’d spent 30 years in Southern California installing and curating art for private collectors. This meant working with interior designers, galleries, and museums on everything from framing and restoration to lighting, curation and logistics. Opening a gallery felt like a natural encore career. It was a chance to bring together everything I’d learned throughout my professional life, and we now focus primarily on contemporary realism. So, that’s how it all started!

“While our typical price point is between $5,000 and $15,000, we also make a point of exhibiting accessible, entry-level works so that first-time collectors have an inviting way to begin their collecting journey.”

It was the same year – 2024 – we opened a physical space that we made the move to apply for the first Affordable Art Fair Austin and were thrilled – albeit it nervous! – for the journey. Whilst every gallery business is different, here’s how the first three years have looked for us.

Year One: Building Foundations

Affordable Art Fair Austin arrived at exactly the right time.

Years earlier, a friend who owned a gallery (based in Southern California) had told me about her success exhibiting with Affordable Art Fair in New York. The fair helped her build such a strong collector base that she eventually opened a second gallery in the city. That story stayed with me, so when I learned that Affordable Art Fair was launching in nearby Austin just as we were establishing Washington Gallery, it felt like an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.

From the beginning, the experience was incredibly welcoming. As a new gallery, we found a great deal of support from the team, particularly Fair Director Cori Teague, who helped us feel part of the community straight away.

While our first year’s sales were solid, we were still refining our gallery program and developing our roster of artists. More importantly, we made valuable connections with collectors who later visited the gallery and purchased work from us. Those relationships became an important part of our early growth and reinforced that exhibiting at the fair was an investment in the long term, not just a single event.

Year Three: Hitting Our Stride!

Going into our third year, I knew we could do even better and we were excited to get stuck in. 

Although we’d had a successful second fair, I left believing there was still more potential to unlock. At the same time, Affordable Art Fair Austin itself was clearly growing. Just as we were building our reputation, so was the fair, and I was continually impressed by both the quality and number of attendees it attracted.

This was the year everything came together.

We expanded into a larger stand again with a stronger layout that better reflected the calibre of artists we represent. We introduced several new artists, including works created specifically for the fair, and spent more time matching our price points to the local market.The result was our strongest show yet. Sales increased 60% from 2025, visitors responded enthusiastically to our programme, and our presence at the fair felt more established than ever.

Lasting Relationships Beyond the Fair

One of the greatest benefits of Affordable Art Fair Austin has been the relationships we’ve built.

Over the past three years we’ve met collectors, art consultants and other gallery professionals who continue to be an important part of our network. Those relationships don’t end when the fair closes. We stay in touch through regular phone calls, emails and Instagram, always following each collector’s preferred timing and way of engaging.

“Building those local connections thoughtfully has been just as valuable as making sales during the fair itself.”

The fair has also become an opportunity to reconnect with fellow galleries and discover artists in person each year, helping us stay engaged with the wider art community. We love it.

Continuing to Raise Standards

Although we were nervous at first, exhibiting at Affordable Art Fair Austin has pushed both our gallery and our artists to continually improve. Being surrounded by talented galleries and exceptional artists challenges all of us to elevate what we do. It’s also given us the confidence as a business to expand our fair participation – we’ll be exhibiting at the first inaugural edition of Affordable Art Fair Houston in October 2026.

Looking back over three years, we’ve grown alongside the fair itself. If you get the opportunity to be a part of a launch fair – do it! As Washington Gallery has become more established, so has our presence at Affordable Art Fair Austin. For us, it’s become much more than an annual sales event. It’s an important part of building our gallery, strengthening our network and continuing to grow as art professionals.