The inaugural Conductor Art Fair debuted at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, running through May 3. Co-curated by fair director Adriana Farietta and PHA president Eric Shiner, the event features 28 gallery exhibitors and 20 special projects, with a focus on representing "the global majority and Indigenous nations." Highlights include an immersive yurt installation by Vuslat and Sana Frini, works by Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar, Puerto Rican sculptor Margarita Vincenty, Venezuelan artist Esmelyn Miranda, and Bangladeshi artist Bishwajit Goswami. The fair offers affordable booth fees starting at $2,500 for nonprofits and free participation for self-representing artists with a 30% sales donation to PHA.
This fair matters because it challenges the traditional art fair model by prioritizing accessibility for underrepresented galleries and artists who lack resources to compete in the New York market. By scheduling ahead of New York Art Week, Conductor avoids competing with major fairs for a limited collector pool. Its low-cost structure and emphasis on global majority and Indigenous artists signal a shift toward more equitable participation in the art world, potentially influencing how future fairs approach diversity and affordability.