Since its' inception in 2009, the Dallas Art Fair has grown into Dallas Art Week and Dallas Arts Month, drawing over 15,000 visitors in 2017 from 4,500 in 2009. Elite galleries, such as Gagosian and Marlborough Contemporary, have become staples of the fair as it has received international attention, drawing both knowledgeable local and national collectors by the thousands. The expansion and success of the fair has been driven by Dallas' arts community, citywide incentives, and avid Dallas-based collectors, coming together for the past ten years to highlight Dallas as an emerging and important player in the global art market. The Dallas Art Fair 2018 saw 30 new galleries, bringing the total to just under 100 galleries from 30 different cities.
Presented by Ruinart, the Dallas Art Fair kicked off on April 12th with an early collector preview benefit gala, followed by general admission days April 13-15. In the days leading up to the Fair, the Dallas arts community hosted a number of openings and events, including Dallas Contemporary's trio of exhibitions, the Nasher Sculpture Prize Gala, and Adam Gordon at the Power Station. In addition to an impressive citywide lineup of art openings, the Dallas Museum of Art announced their choices for the annual acquisition program, allocating $150,000 to purchase works from the fair for their permanent collection from artists Brie Ruais, Sanford Biggers, Matthew Ronay, Tony Lewis, Geraldo de Barros, Shara Hughes, and Alicia Henry.
In case you missed the Dallas Art Fair this year, take a look at some of our highlights, and make room on your calendar for SOLUNA, an international festival of music and art coming up May 6-28.