Meet the New York Team

The creative, open atmosphere of Affordable Art Fair New York is due in no small part to the dedicated team behind the scenes, who ensure that art lovers can explore a diverse range of works in an accessible environment.

Their vision and dedication has shaped the Spring and Fall editions into exciting showcases of original artworks. The pieces on display, ranging from paintings to sculptures, photographs, and prints, all fall within an affordable price bracket, making art collecting an achievable goal for many visitors.

Join us as we delve deeper into the workings of the Affordable Art Fair New York and meet the team that makes it happen.

Erin Schuppert, Fair Director

Erin joined Affordable Art Fair in 2022, bringing with her 10 years of experience in the New York art market, including positions at Christie’s, Phillips, and Menconi & Schoelkopf; a gallery specializing in American art. With roles spanning various departments and responsibilities, her breadth of knowledge combines with her passion for operational strategy, accessible content and encouraging the curiosity of art buyers.

What do you love about Affordable Art Fair New York?

I love that I get to work with so many incredible people who are experts in varying fields, from our diverse gallerists and artists, to our partners who bring finance, tech or programming expertise, to the carpenters who build the walls.

“An art fair is the culmination of thousands of moving parts coming together and it’s really special to see.“

Tell us about a memorable moment from one of our past fairs.

My first edition as Director was Spring 2022 and I remember feeling a bit nervous that something had fallen through the cracks or that, since I was new, it would take a while to build the relationships with everyone involved. However, by opening night, I felt entirely comfortable and at home. My team was rock solid, the exhibitors were welcoming, and our partners and vendors were supportive. I hope we can create that feeling for our exhibitors each and every edition. Coming to an Affordable Art Fair is coming home.

What should our galleries look out for at this year’s fair?

The audience at our fairs is very local to the city and its surrounding areas. New Yorkers have a lot of cultural events to choose from, but they love coming to Affordable each year for the approachable, fun atmosphere.

In upcoming editions, we hope to offer programming that helps facilitate a personal touch from our exhibitors to our collectors.

What programming feature to highlight to exhibitors?

Our fair offers something for everyone, from the buzzy Private View and Art After Dark evening events to the Saturday morning Stroller Hours, which the whole family can enjoy.

Cristina Salmastrlli, Regional Managing Director

Since 2006, Cris has directed, managed or produced over 70 art fairs. From the ADAA Art Show and the ifpda PRINT SHOW to PULSE, VOLTA and Affordable Art Fair, she has seen almost everything! She joined Ramsay Fairs over twelve years ago and loves that, when it comes to art fairs, no other event is even half as good at attracting the elite art professionals, to the elementary artistic voyeurs, simultaneously.

What one piece of advice would you share with exhibitors for this year?

The more engaged you are, the better your fair will be. People are still looking to reconnect to a larger community in this post-Covid world.

What programming feature has made a lasting impression on you from a past fair?

In 2019, we had an artist drawing visitor’s irises remotely from Battersea, London. The eyes are the window to our soul, so there was something so magically about that interaction.

Michela Martinazzi, Fair Manager

Michela is our amazing Fair Manager, who joined the New York team in 2022. She holds a BA in Art History from the University of Florida and got into event planing through large-scale cons for niche topics, which she refers to affectionately as ‘nerdy things’. She helped 20,000 conventions for Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Broadway, and Sci-Fi. During the pandemic, Michela realized she wanted to return to the art field, and found Ramsay Fairs. We are so glad that she did!

What do you love about Affordable Art Fair New York?

My favorite part of the fairs is seeing the booths once they’ve been set up. One of my primary tasks is working with exhibitors prior to the fair on their stand layouts.

“I love seeing our conversations over the months materialize in front of me. It’s exciting because I know both mine and the exhibitor’s hard work paid off!“

One of my most memorable moments was working with an exhibitor who was unsure if she should paint her wall a gorgeous navy and a soft baby pink. We both went back and forth on it, sketched diagrams, and she even made a version of her booth in Photoshop. Seeing it in person, it was the perfect choice and the art she brought stood out beautifully.

Do you have any expert advice for exhibitors?

I think the advice I would like to give is trust your instincts. The Fair Team that accepts you does so because they know your art will sell at the fair. We might give advice and tweaks, but you know your art and artists best. Rely on that instinct to design your booth well, pitch your art to attendees, and navigate the fair experience.

Is there a particular ticketing option that you’d like to highlight?

I believe our Stroller Hours are always a massive success because we have really found what makes art accessible to familes. The kids have fun, while parents can find the art that fits their home. It’s a wonderful event!

Daiana Duran, Financial Controller

We’re so pleased to have Daiana on the team, who joined Ramsay Fairs in 2022 as Financial Controller for the US. She brings eight years of experience to the role, and is always up for learning more about the local, national and global art markets.

What do you love about Affordable Art Fair from your unique finance perspective, and do you have any advice for exhibitors?

One of my favorite aspects of working with Affordable Art Fair is the diversity that exhibitors bring into one space.

“I’m passionate about making art accessible, so the fact that we partner with Art Money is great for splitting payments on an artwork you fall in love with.“

We make it really easy to chat openly with our exhibitors about money at the fair.

My advice would be that it’s important to be aware of timelines and payment terms, which are detailed on the agreement. It is also essential to watch out for our email communication (and respond timely!).

Michael DeStefano, Marketing Manager

Mike has been working for nearly a decade in marketing with a focus on events, so we were very excited to welcome him to the New York team in early 2023. He’s jumped straight into leading our marketing campaigns and has enjoyed being immersed in the New York art world, including the Ramsay Fairs family of galleries!

“I love seeing art from all over the world and getting to experience the regional tastes of each gallery.”

What advice would you give to exhibitors, both returning and those who are interested in applying?

We want to be able to share as much as possible about each and every gallery that exhibits with us, so make sure to submit as much promotional material you can as early as you can!

The more detail you give us, the more we have to work with when it comes to planning content. Sending high resolution artwork images is also key for us to be able to share on visual platforms such as Instagram or our Inspiration articles.

Main image: Our Fair Director, Erin Schuppert, celebrates with Art Logic at Fall 2023.