Reimagining the Art Fair Model: Future Fair is redefining the art fair landscape with a collaborative platform that supports the advancement, sustainability, and empowerment of art galleries.
The story of Future Fair began with a brainstorming session, where Rachel Mijares Fick jotted down her thoughts on what an art fair should be versus what she was seeing in the market. The idea was to create a platform that supports the advancement, sustainability, and empowerment of art galleries.
A Response to the Challenges Facing Small Galleries
Mijares Fick and co-founder Rebeca Laliberte wanted to address the mounting frustration among small and emerging galleries being priced out of the blue-chip fair ecosystem. The two had met years earlier as fellow exhibitors, bringing deep industry experience that included gallery operations and art fair production.
A Collaborative Platform for Sustainable Visibility
Their foundational idea was to create a collaborative platform that granted sustainable visibility to young dealers while courting a new wave of collectors seeking an accessible entry point into the often-obtuse art world. The fair’s mission is to provide a platform that supports the advancement, sustainability, and empowerment of art galleries.
A Storytelling-First Model
The result was a storytelling-first model that introduced dealers as relatable, passionate peers, starting with Q&As featuring founding galleries. This strategy extended to artists, who were filmed in their studios and put forward as entrepreneurs in their own right. The fair encouraged participating galleries to collaborate with each other by partnering to show together at the fair.
A Unique Co-op Fair Model
Future Fair has also explored a unique co-op fair model that embraces collaboration by pairing exhibitors across sixteen booths. Unlike many fairs, Future Fair doesn’t take a cut from exhibitors; instead, fees are used to cover operations, and it draws profits primarily from ticket sales and sponsorships.
A co-op fair is an event where cooperative businesses and organizations gather to showcase their products, services, and values.
These events promote mutual aid, social responsibility, and community engagement.
Attendees can learn about sustainable living, explore eco-friendly products, and connect with like-minded individuals.
Co-op fairs often feature workshops, lectures, and demonstrations on topics such as renewable energy, organic farming, and fair trade practices.
Profit-Sharing and Exhibitor Grants
Mijares Fick and Laliberte introduced a four-year profit-sharing model involving the 2020 founding galleries. Future Fair has given out $35,000 in grants to support emerging and diverse exhibitors between 2023 and 2025, and this year, Future Fair is expanding its ‘Pay It Forward Fund,’ which allocates 15 percent of profits to grants for emerging dealers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in a fair in New York that week.
A Growing Impact
This year’s edition brings together sixty-nine exhibitors from cities across the U.S., Canada, and beyond, reinforcing the fair’s growing impact. The fair welcomes international galleries from Canada and beyond and first-time New York fair participants from cities like Detroit, Houston, Santa Fe, and San Juan.
Experimentation and Expansion
Future Fair continues to feel grounded in New York, but it is drawing more and more exhibitors from other American cities and communities around the globe. The fair will host a VIP preview on Wednesday, May 7, and will be open to the public May 8-10, 2025.
A New Era for Galleries and Collectors
Future Fair‘s profit-sharing and exhibitor grants set the fair apart as an inclusive and forward-facing alternative to traditional art fairs. The fair is reimagining the art fair model from the ground up, creating a platform that supports the advancement, sustainability, and empowerment of art galleries and provides a new era for galleries and collectors alike.
