SECCI at Aspen Art Fair in 2024. Zach Hilty/BFA.com
There’s no rest for the weary. In July, the art world’s collective Basel hangover lingers, but many galleries have to pack it all up all over again and make their way to one or more of the international or niche-y art fairs held in July, or possibly some of the smaller summertime art events that nimbly toe the line between fair and festival. If you’re not already burnt out from the June art fairs (and the May art fairs and the April art fairs, etc.), the coming month’s calendar offers a lighter load.
Semantically speaking, there are fine art festivals that bring in millions of dollars annually (Denver’s Cherry Creek Arts Festival comes to mind) and tinier fairs that sometimes don’t, and in any given month, new art fairs emerge and older ones are subject to delays and cancellations. There aren’t a lot of new entries on this year’s July art fair calendar, but you’ll likely notice some notable deletions. Sidenote: The Hamptons had, for a time, three or four major art fairs every summer—it worked for a while post-Covid because people were gathering again and the wealthy collectors who’d decamped to the East End hadn’t yet re-decamped to the City. Alas, the only constant is change. With that in mind, here’s what’s on this month:
Riga Contemporary 2026
July 2-5
Riga Contemporary in Latvia promises to deliver a captivating lineup of artworks brought by 35 galleries from the Baltics, Nordic countries, the U.S., Japan and beyond. Founded by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre—yes, the punctuation is a little confusing—with support from NADA co-president and Misako & Rosen director Jeffrey Rosen, Riga Contemporary’s mission is twofold: to elevate the region’s art scene while bringing renowned galleries from around the globe to Latvia. The fair keeps booth fees modest to attract exhibitors and potentially transform the traditional art fair into a more community-driven and collaborative experience. Alongside exhibitions and presentations, there will be a program of talks and performances involving artists, representatives from international galleries, art advisors, Baltic collectors and other creative industry professionals.
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair 2026
July 10-12
Now in its 64th year, Canada’s largest and longest-running contemporary art event returns this year to Nathan Phillips Square. TOAF got its start in the parking lot of the Four Seasons Motor Hotel in 1961, when philanthropist founders Murray and Marvelle Koffler launched the fair in partnership with former Director of the National Gallery of Canada Alan Jarvis and gallerist extraordinaire Jack Pollock (his roster included David Hockney and Willem de Kooning) to spotlight Canadian talent. In the past, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair—which, admittedly, is more festival than fair—has featured artists like Barbara Astman, David Blackwood, Harlan House, Joanne Tod and Jennifer Stead at different stages in their careers. Rain or shine, it’s a good time.
Art Santa Fe 2026
July 9-11
Art Santa Fe, a boutique art fair in New Mexico held during Santa Fe Art Week, was founded in 2000 by gallery owner Charlotte Jackson. She sold the fair to former gallerist Eric Smith, now CEO of Redwood Media Group and producer of art shows like Art Miami, in 2018. The fair, which showcases prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, giclée, lithographs and glassworks, takes place annually at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center and is known for its exceptional presentation and well-curated selection of fine art, decorative art and design. The 26th edition will feature works from more than eighty-five galleries and independent artists—those looking for a bargain can make a beeline to the Discoveries Collection, which showcases pieces priced at $3,000 or less.
Hamptons Fine Art Fair 2026
July 9-12
When culturally tuned-in New Yorkers migrate en masse to the east end of Long Island, that can mean just one thing: it’s art-collecting season out east. The Hamptons’ only international art fair and one of the nation’s largest summer fairs, Hamptons Fine Art Fair, or HFAF, takes place in a 70,000-square-foot complex at Southampton Fairgrounds. Minutes from downtown Southampton Village—and its stylish shops, trendy restaurants, art galleries and museums—the 19th edition of the Hamptons Fine Art Fair brings 120 exhibitors and galleries from around the world to Long Island. Collectors and art enthusiasts can explore diverse works by contemporary art’s rising stars (look out for those locally based) and pieces by names known the world over, like Picasso and Warhol. In addition to the usual booths, the Hamptons Fine Art Fair has several themed events and social gatherings held over the course of the busy weekend, including the always-interesting Hamptons Artists Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2026
July 9-12
The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) was established in 2009 as part of the Queensland Government’s Backing Indigenous Arts program but became an independent entity in 2013, transitioning to a not-for-profit company governed by a skills-based board with significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation. Held annually in northern Australia, CIAF is known for its commitment to cultural exchange and offers a platform for indigenous artists to present their art, fashion, performance works and music to an audience of national and international collectors, curators and an art-loving public. This year’s theme, Reclamation & Regeneration, “speaks to a return to Country, to memory, and to stories passed down through generations. It is an act of resistance and resurgence by reclaiming space through expressions of language, cultural identity and spiritual connection.”
Ann Arbor Art Fair 2026
July 16-18
Art lovers looking for a relaxed fair experience with plenty of local flavor should make time for the Ann Arbor Art Fair, which is one of the largest and most prestigious juried art events in the country. Founded in 1960, it’s also one of the oldest. For correctness’ sake, we should point out that Ann Arbor Art Fair is actually three distinct events—the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (a.k.a. “The Original”), the Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair and the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair—making it, for lack of a better descriptor, a “distributed fair.” Together, the events that make up the Ann Arbor Art Fair have a 30-city-block footprint and attract roughly 500,000 visitors annually, there to see contemporary fine arts and crafts brought by nearly 1,000 artists. There are also performances, hands-on art activities and street food, and the overall atmosphere is very much that of a mega block party. In fact, many Ann Arbor locals have beef with the fair because of the congestion it causes—there have been protests in the past, under the slogan “It’s not art, and it’s not fair.”
ARTe Art Fair Konstanz 2026
July 17-19
Around 60 galleries will take part in this year’s ARTe Art Fair Konstanz, set in a 1,800-square-meter exhibition space in Konstanz, Germany. Also known as ARTe Kunstsalon, it’s one of several ARTe art fairs taking place throughout Germany this year. What unites them? Since the first fair in 2015 at the Sindelfingen Trade Fair Center, ARTe fairs have emphasized open, airy venues and the deliberate mixing of contemporary and classical artwork. At Konstanz, most of the works displayed are by exhibitors based in Germany and other E.U. countries. One draw is the art historians who guide visitors through the fair, placing the works on display in their historical contexts.
Seattle Art Fair 2026
July 23-26
Seattle Art Fair, founded in 2015 by the late art collector and philanthropist Paul G. Allen to celebrate the vibrant arts community of the region, has become a fixture of the Pacific Northwest’s cultural calendar. Held at the Lumen Field Event Center, it showcases a diverse range of modern and contemporary art brought by around 90 galleries, local and not. It’s worth pointing out that the Seattle art scene was very much shaped by Allen, who founded Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture and whose foundation continues to distribute millions in arts grants in Washington. Nato Thompson, Seattle Art Fair’s former artistic director, said in a 2019 conversation with Observer that “in Seattle, people know who you are, and it’s a real community, and you can tap into it really well. I find that intimacy very exciting and something I benefit from participating in.”
Intersect Aspen Art + Design 2026
July 28 – August 1
Intersect Aspen, founded in 2010, is a cornerstone of Aspen’s peak art season and summer cultural calendar. Happening once again at the Aspen Ice Garden, this year’s edition features its largest lineup to date, with artworks brought by more than 39 local, national, and international galleries, and a robust program of artist-focused talks, tours and panel discussions. Known for its intimate setting that facilitates direct interaction among collectors, galleries and artists, Intersect Aspen also partners with local cultural non-profits such as Anderson Ranch Arts Center and Aspen Film to offer a range of cultural and community initiatives beyond the fair. “It’s not just about acquiring art; it’s about becoming part of a deeper cultural dialogue that defines Aspen,” Tim von Gal, CEO of Intersect Art + Design, said in a statement.
Aspen Art Fair 2026
July 29 – August 1
Aspen always has hordes of visitors hoping to escape the heat and humidity of summertime, which means Aspen Art Fair’s third edition will attract thousands of collectors and enthusiasts looking to buy some art while beating the heat. National and international art dealers and artists will convene at the historic Hotel Jerome during Aspen Art Week, with a lineup that includes Coloradan art galleries; galleries from New York, L.A. and elsewhere in the States; and far-flung art spaces like London’s Ronchini, Italian gallery SECCI and Galerie Gmurzynska of Zürich. Program highlights include a guided tour of the Aspen Art Museum featuring highlights from the ArtCrush Auction, a home tour of the personal art collection of Ernesto and Cecilia Poma, a panel on evolving roles in art and film and an agave tasting.
100% Design Africa 2026
July 30 – August 2
“Celebrating the pulse of African design,” 100% Design Africa has become one of the continent’s premier international design showcases, offering a curated selection of contemporary decorative arts, technology, product designs and furnishings (an interesting mix, to say the least). Keeping up with an ever-shifting art world, the event at Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa embraces a “phygital” approach—blending digital storytelling with tactile objects and even entire exhibition spaces. Prepare to be surprised by what you see.
