Source: artnet | 02/08/19

The fair welcomes 34 galleries from 21 cities for its debut outing in April. The Philadelphia Fine Art Fair, the first national art fair to come to the city of Brotherly Love, has announced the exhibitors slated for its inaugural edition, April 4-7, at the City Troop Armory.

Thirty-four galleries will participate in the fair, a small but impressive group that hails from 19 US cities and four countries. Nine are from Philadelphia, a local emphasis that was a priority for the event’s producers who want to establish the city as an international art-market destination.

“We wanted it to be a boutique show, to provide a manageable and comprehensive viewing experience to our guests,” says Rick Friedman, executive director of ShowHamptons, the event production company that announced the new venture in October. “By limiting the number of total dealers, each one will get more time and mindshare with fairgoers which will in turn result in more commerce and serious discussions.”

That doesn’t mean the fair couldn’t “grow significantly” next year, Friedman says, but he wants to first “make sure the current dealers sell well and get value.” The fair estimates that around 5,000 people will attend.

“We see this as a wonderful celebration of contemporary art in Philly,” Friedman says. “Local dealers have been enthusiastic and thankful that we’re shining the national spotlight on their town. Many see it as an opportune event to rally around the many local artists, curators, top-tier donors, philanthropists, and the huge untapped market of art enthusiasts.”

“By uniting all these groups, we are demonstrating that Philadelphia, with its rich history in the creation, exploration, and patronage of visual art, is an important contemporary art market that has been overlooked,” he says.

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