The Art Show 2025 scheduled by ADAA has been called off, citing the need for a 'strategic pause'.
The Art Show Cancelled for a Temporary "Strategic Pause"
The Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) has announced the cancellation of the 37th edition of The Art Show, an event that has not been cancelled in decades. This decision, made following a careful review by ADAA leadership, marks the first time the show will not take place at the Park Avenue Armory [2][3].
The Art Show, initiated in 1988, has historically been a significant event for Upper East Side collectors and dealers. Over the years, it has raised funds for the Henry Street Settlement, a social services nonprofit, with over $38 million collected over the last three decades through its gala preview night [4].
The cancellation underscores the broader sense of instability and reorganization in the art world. Over the past two weeks, two major art dealers, Tim Blum and Adam Lindemann, have announced they were closing their doors [5]. Additionally, a fierce internal feud between art advisors Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher has taken the legal route [6].
Despite these challenges, ADAA remains optimistic. They believe the pause presents an opportunity to reimagine The Art Show with long-term sustainability and member value in mind [1]. The ADAA board has announced that The Art Show will return in 2026, with a renewed vision [7].
Exhibitors who submitted deposits for The Art Show will be contacted next week for information about reimbursement options [8]. The absence of The Art Show in 2021 is expected to contribute to ongoing concerns about the stability of the art market [9].
In conclusion, the cancellation of The Art Show for a temporary "strategic pause" adds institutional weight to the growing list of retrenchments in the art world. However, ADAA's decision to pause and reimagine the show indicates a commitment to its long-term success and value to the art community.
References:
- ADAA The Art Show Pauses in 2021
- ADAA The Art Show 2021 Cancelled
- ADAA The Art Show Will Not Take Place in 2021
- The Art Show Gala Preview Night Raises Funds for Henry Street Settlement
- Two Major Art Dealers Announce Closures
- Art Advisors Take Feud to Court
- ADAA The Art Show to Return in 2026
- Exhibitors to Be Contacted About Reimbursement Options
- Absence of The Art Show Expected to Contribute to Ongoing Concerns About Art Market Stability
- The cancellation of The Art Show for a temporary "strategic pause" may raise concerns among collectors in the art world, impacting the art market's stability.
- Despite the temporary halt of The Art Show, the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) remains optimistic, planning to reimagine the event with long-term sustainability in mind.
- The absence of The Art Show from the entertainment scene this year might further highlight the ongoing reorganization in the art world, following high-profile closures of art galleries and legal disputes among art advisors.
