6 fairs open across Manhattan between May 13 and May 19. A practical NYC art week guide to where to go, what to see, and how to plan your week.
If You're Exhibiting
Skyframe has been New York's framer for the trade since 1983, supporting galleries and exhibitors throughout NYC art week. From our Chelsea showroom, we are three blocks from Future Fair and four from The Shed. We handle custom framing, fine art printing, Plexi Mounting, and HD metal prints. We serve exhibitors at every fair on this list. Delivery to your booth and white-glove on-site installation are included.
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6 Fairs, One Week, Where to Go
For one week in May, New York becomes the center of the art world. Between May 13 and May 19, seven major fairs open their doors across Manhattan. They range from emerging contemporary at the Starrett-Lehigh Building to museum-grade masterworks at the Park Avenue Armory.
From our Chelsea showroom, we are three blocks from Future Fair and four from The Shed. We've been framing and printing for exhibitors at fairs like these since 1983. Here's our guide to where to go, what to see, and how to plan your week.
The Fairs, in Order of Opening
1. Frieze New York: May 13–17
The Shed
545 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001, USA
Photo by Frieze New York Website
The anchor of the week. Frieze brings together leading galleries from New York and around the world. Exhibitors present solo, dual, and themed shows across two floors of The Shed in Hudson Yards. The Focus section, curated this year by Lumi Tan, highlights emerging galleries through solo shows. It is historically one of the most rewarding sections to walk slowly.
Insider note: Tuesday's invitation-only preview is the best day to see the work before it sells. Public hours open on Thursday. The Shed's location puts you a fifteen-minute walk from Future Fair and NADA — worth chaining together.
2. Future Fair: May 13–16
Chelsea Industrial
535 West 28th Street, New York, NY 10001,
Photo by Future Fair Website
Now in its sixth year, Future Fair has a reputation as the most collaborative of the week's fairs. Galleries share booth space, programming runs late, and the work skews toward emerging and mid-career artists. The Chelsea Industrial venue keeps everything compact and walkable.
Insider note: The fair closes Saturday, a full day before the rest. If you're prioritizing, see Future Fair first.
3. NADA New York: May 13–17
The Starrett-Lehigh Building
601 W 26th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001
Photo by NADA website
The 12th edition of NADA returns to Starrett-Lehigh with 121 galleries from 15 countries. The roster includes 45 NADA members and 53 first-time exhibitors. NADA is the discovery fair. Lower booth fees mean younger galleries, smaller editions, and prices that often start in three figures. They usually start in three figures rather than six.
Insider note: Go on Saturday or Sunday when the gallerists have time to talk. The TD Bank Curated Spotlight, organized this year by Anthony Elms, is worth seeking out first.
4. Independent New York: May 14–17
Pier 36
299 South Street, New York, 10002
Photo by Independent Website
Independent has always been the most curated of the major fairs. Exhibitors are selected rather than juried, and the layout favors solo and two-person presentations. It avoids standard booths. Pier 36's open floor plan gives the work room to breathe. It is worth the trip downtown.
Insider note: The light at Pier 36 in late afternoon is some of the best this week. It is among the best you'll see at any fair.
5. TEFAF New York: May 15–19
Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065
Photo by TEFAF website
The week's most rigorous fair. TEFAF's vetting committee inspects every work before the doors open, which keeps the bar high. Cycladic antiquities might sit just two booths from a de Kooning. The 2026 edition welcomes back Hauser & Wirth, Pace, Lévy Gorvy Dayan, and Berggruen. It also includes nine first-time exhibitors, including Galerie Lelong.
Insider note: TEFAF is the only fair the Armory permits to activate the upstairs period rooms. These Gilded Age interiors are worth the visit alone.
6. The American Art Fair: May 16–19
Bohemian National Hall
321 East 73rd Street, NYC
Photo by The American Art Fair website
The week's specialist fair. American Art Fair celebrates its 19th edition with 18 dealers focused exclusively on American 19th- and 20th-century art. Expect names like Sargent, Henri, Chase, and Hartley. The Bohemian National Hall on the Upper East Side keeps the atmosphere intimate. It feels closer to a curated exhibition than a fair.
Insider note: The lectures program, free with admission, is a serious draw. If you collect American art seriously, plan a Saturday or Sunday afternoon around the talks.
Planning Your Week by Neighborhood
West Chelsea cluster (Wed–Sun): Frieze, Future Fair, NADA, 1-54 — all within a fifteen-minute walk of each other. A single day covers four fairs.
West Chelsea cluster (Wed–Sun): Upper East Side (Fri–Tue): TEFAF at the Park Avenue Armory. Then The American Art Fair at Bohemian National Hall, twenty blocks north. Best paired with auction previews at Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips.
Lower Manhattan (Thu–Sun): Independent at Pier 36. The downtown outlier, but worth the trip — and an easy combination with the Lower East Side gallery district.
See you on the floor.
Skyframe Chelsea, NYC · Hillside, NJ · Miami, FL
