Looking to find out more about our launch in Boston? Read our Exhibitor Guide to discover our vision for the exhibiting experience, first impressions of the fair, and the audience we'll be welcoming to a beautiful new venue.
It’s an exciting time to come to Boston – a city equally excited for an art fair – and we’re so pleased to be adding to the rich history of culture whilst being at the ground floor of an emerging contemporary art market.
Read on to find out why we’ve decided to launch a fair in this amazing city, and what to expect from the exhibiting experience.
Our Boston edition will take place at SoWa Power Station, a beautiful, airy space, which makes the perfect setting for a contemporary art fair. The venue is a well-known local landmark in the larger South End neighborhood of Boston, a constantly evolving area of the city long seen as a cultural hub. In SoWa (South of Washington) you’ll find art galleries, high-end luxury, design, and fine dining condensed into one, walkable strip. SoWa is the first concentration of an arts district in Boston and, if you’re into local cultural events, you’ll be familiar with area.
Our venue, the iconic Power Station building, sits at the middle of this arts-centric neighborhood. It’s a renovated, industrial space that provides a cool, edgy atmosphere for an art fair. A large mezzanine area boasts the opportunity to be creative with programming. Whilst maintaining the historic warehouse details, such as the brick façade and high ceilings, it’s a place known for new, exciting cultural events, making it the perfect choice for an Affordable Art Fair. Walking around the local area, you’ll feel the sense of renewed excitement for Boston’s art scene and, with the fair taking place in October, you’ll be treated to the most stunning time of year with a vibrant explosion of Fall colors – an extra special experience not to be missed if you’re a gallery outside New England.
Boston and the greater New England area has a rich history of art. There has always been, and still is, a hugely deep appreciation for the arts, culture, and history. With the introduction of SoWa and a revitalized arts hub, our fair will harness the rejuvenated excitement for art in a city that is typically more focused on history. We offer galleries the opportunity to bring fresh contemporary and accessible art to a population that might not know where else to find it. It’s about time Boston has an art fair for galleries in the city and greater New England area.
With a diverse population and many different backgrounds, an Affordable Art Fair in Boston also presents the chance for people who aren’t so entrenched in art a comfortable space to learn how to start a collection. Our launch in the city will mark the first contemporary art fair to take place at SoWa Power Station, so we’re excited to speak to this demographic in the center of Boston, but also other affluent boroughs. It’s not unusual to drive long distances to attend events in the city, so we’re able to attract the art-curious from all over, who perhaps haven’t found their entry point into owning art. Through extensive research, we’re confident there’s a wealth of this audience. Luckily, this is what we’re best at. The fair will be led by the experienced NYC team, who also have their own roots in Boston. They have so much knowledge of how to directly speak to new art buyers, particularly visitors that might not even know yet that they need an artwork for their home, but they’ll be able to find it at our fair.
Bostonians are highly educated in arts and culture at a college level, but it’s likely they haven’t come from a background of working in the arts like we see in other locations such as NYC. We expect to see more visitors working in banking, IT, and finance, or a younger population with discretionary income to spend on their homes. A key distinction in Boston compared to other markets is the speed of decision making. Existing Boston collectors are more measured, they take time with their decisions, and will likely have questions about the artists they’re interested in. Anticipate a longer sales runway, and don’t forget to follow up post-fair.
As mentioned, Boston is a real incubator for thought and culture, so our audience will also travel from surrounding neighborhoods and the greater New England area. Public transportation is strong, and we’ll have parking at the venue.
Visitors will have two main approaches to art buying. Firstly, people will be looking to curate their interior spaces with beautiful art. Perhaps they want to work with a designer, invest in a piece that will appreciate whilst making their walls at home stand out, or speak to the strong design culture in Boston. Homes tend to be quirky, historic town houses or newer apartments and, no matter the size, dinner party culture reigns with people wanting to spend time at home.
Philanthropic art buyers will also make a large proportion of our audience. Investing in local art is seen as a way of being socially involved in Boston. Locals want to feel good about art bought from a living artist, so we expect to see emotional attachment as a key sales driver. Bostonians want to see where their money is going, and for that place to be supporting a creative. If you’re a gallery based in Boston and the New England area, a key selling point will be your locality.
Emmanuelle G. Contemporary – New York City
Exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair in New York, our own town, has been an incredible opportunity for both our gallery and the artists we represent. Being able to exhibit at an event that draws both locals and visitors has helped us gain a lot more visibility.
The exposure we’ve gained has been invaluable. Not only have we reached new collectors and art enthusiasts, but we’ve also strengthened our ties with our existing local clients. We’ve also seen an increase in foot traffic at the gallery after the event, as attendees often return to explore our inventory in more depth. The art fair has definitely allowed us to reinforce our presence locally.
treat gallery – New York City
Affordable Art Fair is led by a stellar group of professionals and is well suited for galleries of all sizes and audiences. treat gallery has participated since 2021 and we’ve placed work in multiple private and public collections due to exposure that would have not been possible without this platform. Affordable Art Fair champions emerging artists and new collectors, holding events that focus on acquiring art that one truly loves. treat gallery donates a portion of sales to nonprofit organizations, and Affordable Art Fair has gone above and beyond in partnering with us with a shared goal of bettering the community. I strongly recommend participating in a fair close to you – despite heading into our 9th fair in New York City, we have come to expect new collectors and unique visitors without fail. The marketing and quality of art is unmatched – seize the opportunity!
Elisa Contemporary Art – New York City
An art fair is an incredible opportunity to be introduced – face to face – to a very large and diverse art-buying audience within the same area as my gallery. No matter how much marketing/pr/social media we do as a small gallery, we will never have the opportunity to be in front of 7-12,000 people over 4-5 days.
The art fair allows us to connect with new art collectors, as well as those who support the art buying process such as art consultants, curators and interior designers. I have found that the vast majority of my buyers during the recent art fairs have been new buyers. I then have the opportunity to continue to build those relationships.
Agora gallery – New York City
Exhibiting at Affordable Art Fair New York has been an incredible experience for our gallery. Having the opportunity to connect not only with new collectors, but also with other local galleries is a true highlight that has afforded us lasting community connections.
Participating in local art fairs is a priority for us, as it enhances visibility for our artists both at the fair and within our gallery space. Being right around the corner from Affordable Art Fair in Chelsea allows us to actively pursue interest through post-fair viewings at the gallery, and to keep our local audience cyclically engaged – bringing energy from the recent fair to our program at the gallery, looking ahead to the next exhibition, art fair and back again.
Additionally, enough can’t be said for the atmosphere at Affordable Art Fair, which is always vibrant and welcoming – the team’s professionalism and positivity certainly sets this tone! Creating a fair experience where exhibitors feel supported is really important to us, and we’ve always felt that this collaborative spirit starts with the team and filters through the exhibitors to the visitors, who are genuinely excited and open to discovering new art.