Frieze New York returns with leading galleries, Focus section highlights, major exhibitions, and global artists shaping contemporary art in New York.
Frieze New York 2026 will take place at the Shed from May 13 to May 17, 2026.
This year’s edition presents an expansive and deeply considered program that reflects the evolving landscape of global contemporary art while strengthening New York’s role as a cultural epicenter.
From major international galleries to emerging voices, from museum partnerships to citywide activations, Frieze New York 2026 offers an immersive view of the current moment in art.
A Defining Moment for Global Contemporary Art
Frieze continues to serve as a vital platform that connects artists, galleries, collectors, and institutions across continents.
The New York 2026 edition of Frieze brings together more than 65 galleries from 26 countries, offering a rigorous and diverse presentation of contemporary practices.
Leading international galleries including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, Perrotin, Thaddaeus Ropac, Esther Schipper, White Cube, and David Zwirner anchor the fair with significant presentations.
New York’s gallery community remains central, with strong participation from 303 Gallery, Miguel Abreu Gallery, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, James Cohan, and Alexander Gray Associates. Their presence reflects the collaborative spirit and creative energy that defines the city.
The fair also welcomes returning galleries after a hiatus, including Almine Rech, Galerie Eva Presenhuber, and Marc Selwyn Fine Art, reinforcing the fair’s continued growth and relevance.
A notable strength of the 2026 edition is the expanded representation of Central and South American galleries. With leadership contributions from Fátima González of Campeche and Omayra Alvarado of Instituto de Visión, the fair highlights the region’s influential artists and galleries, bringing new perspectives into the global conversation.
Key Galleries to See at Frieze New York 2026
Blue Chip and Global Leaders
- Gagosian
- Hauser & Wirth
- Pace Gallery
- Perrotin
- White Cube
- David Zwirner
- Thaddaeus Ropac
These galleries continue to define the upper tier of the global market and anchor the fair with museum quality presentations.
Essential New York Galleries
- Tanya Bonakdar Gallery
- James Cohan
- Alexander Gray Associates
- Canada
- Ortuzar
These galleries reflect the strength of the local ecosystem and its deep integration into the international market.
Latin American Powerhouses
A major highlight is the strong Latin American galleries, including:
- Mendes Wood DM
- Kurimanzutto
- OMR
- A Gentil Carioca
This regional emphasis reflects a broader shift in the global art market toward expanded geographic representation.
Focus Section Elevates the Next Generation
The Focus section remains a cornerstone of Frieze New York, dedicated to galleries operating for twelve years or less and emphasizing bold, experimental solo presentations. Curated for the third consecutive year by Lumi Tan, the 2026 edition presents eleven galleries with a strong international scope.
The Focus section reflects a wide range of media and cultural histories. Artists explore themes that range from ecological devastation and urban spectacle to intimate human relationships. The emphasis on world building and new structures of thought underscore the urgency and creativity driving emerging contemporary practices.
Seven galleries participate at The Shed for the first time, including Campeche, EUROPA, Isla Flotante, Sargent’s Daughters, Soft Opening, Ulrik, and W galería. They join returning exhibitors Central, Champ Lacombe, Gordon Robichaux, and Public.
‘As we see the mosses III’,
Focus is presented in partnership with Stone Island, continuing a global collaboration that supports research driven and material focused artistic production. This partnership reinforces a shared commitment to innovation and the development of new artistic voices.
Focus Section and Emerging Galleries to Watch
The Focus section remains one of the most critically discussed elements of Frieze New York.
Notable Focus galleries include:
- Campeche
- Europa
- Sargent’s Daughters
- Ulrik
- Isla Flotante
- Soft Opening
- W galería
These galleries introduce new artists and perspectives, reinforcing Frieze’s role as a discovery platform.
New Acquisition Fund and Cultural Initiatives
A significant new initiative for 2026 is the Sherman Family Foundation acquisition fund. This five year commitment provides direct financial support to artists in the Focus section. Each year, two works are acquired and placed in major institutional collections, including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum.
Printed Matter Returns to Frieze New York
Printed Matter Inc returns to the fair, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with special artist editions and a curated selection of publications. The organization continues its mission to support the distribution and understanding of artists’ books.
The Frieze Library, developed in collaboration with the Thomas J. Watson Library and Gordon Robichaux, invites exhibitors to contribute publications that will become part of a permanent institutional archive. This initiative strengthens the fair’s role as both a marketplace and a site of knowledge production.
Frieze Major Institutional Partnerships and New Commissions
Frieze New York 2026 expands its reach through a series of major institutional partnerships that extend the fair beyond its physical site. Collaborations with the Whitney Museum of American Art, Dia Art Foundation, and Counterpublic introduce a dynamic program of performances, installations, and site specific works across the city.
Jonathan González, Whitney Museum of American Art
At the Whitney as part of the Whitney Biennial 2026, choreographer and artist Jonathan González presents Body Configurations, a photographic installation that merges movement, perception, and spatial awareness.
Body Configurations invites viewers into an active relationship with the artwork through embodied engagement. Located on Level 6 at the Shed, the photographic installation comprise six C-prints combining Super8 transfers and digital images. Alexis De La Rosa engages in closed-eye improvisations rooted in Authentic Movement – a pracitice emphasizing institution, sensation and internally driven action.
González also debuts magic hour golden time as part of the Whitney Biennial 2026. Unfolding over three days, May 15 to May 17, the work comprises three-hour durational performances across the museum’s terraces and surrounding urban landscape, engaging architecture, environment, and shifting perspectives.
Five performers – Aj Wilmore, India Lena Gonzalez, Ananda Naima Gonzalez, Marguerite Hemmings and Kingsley Ibeneche – move through the Whitney and its exterior spaces, including the High Line and waterfront, inviting audiences to encounter the work from multiple vantage points.
David Lamelas, Dia Art Foundation
The Dia Art Foundation presents moving image works by conceptual Argentine artist David Lamelas at The Shed. His works, including To Pour Milk into a Glass (1972) and the Time as Activity (1969 -) series examine time, perception, and the structure of reality through film and conceptual frameworks.
Dia will present a focused selection of moving image works by Lamelas at the Shed, coinciding with his first comprehensive New York survey at Dia Chelsea. A key figure of the 1960s and ’70s, Lamelas has worked across painting, sculpture, film, and performance, bridging Conceptual, Minimilist and Pop practices.
Kite, ‘Wičháȟpi Wóihaŋbleya (Dreamlike Star)’
Frieze New York is partnering with non-profits including, Counterpublic, one of the largest public art exhibitions in the United States. At the Shed, Counterpublic will present a new site-responsive installation and performance by Ogala Lakhota artist Kite. The wall installation and performance is rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and artificial intelligence. The project previews the upcoming Counterpublic 2026: Coyote TIme opening in September that expands the dialogue between art, community, and technology.
Frieze Week and Citywide Impact
Frieze transforms New York into a global center for art. Museums and institutions across the city present major exhibitions that run simultaneously and are worth exploring.
These museums play a critical role in shaping the narrative of New York Art Week. The following exhibitions offer in-depth exploration of contemporary issues through the lens of world-class artists:
Whitney Biennial 2026
- Dates: May 7 – September 13, 2026
- Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY 10014
- Time: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily
The Whitney Biennial is one of the most important surveys of contemporary American art, presenting a fresh and often provocative perspective on the social, political, and artistic landscape of the country.
Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Reinvention
- Dates: May 1 – July 30, 2026
- Location: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), 11 W 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
- Time: 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM daily
This exhibition is a deep dive into the work of Marcel Duchamp, whose revolutionary ideas continue to influence contemporary art. The show will explore Duchamp’s legacy and his groundbreaking approach to art-making.
Carol Bove: The Slowest Wave
- Dates: May 6 – October 2, 2026
- Location: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10128
- Time: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM daily
Carol Bove is known for her sculptural installations that challenge traditional notions of space and materiality. This exhibition brings together some of her most ambitious works .
Tschabalala Self: Art Lovers
- Dates: March 21 – December 31, 2026
- Location: New Museum, 235 Bowery, Manhattan, New York City, New York 10002
- Time: Tuesday–Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thursday until 9:00 PM (closed Mondays)
Tschabalala Self new site-specific work created as part of the New Museum’s ongoing Facade Sculpture Program. Depicting a romantic scene of a couple embracing, the work mirrors the architectural “kiss point” where the SANAA-designed building meets the OMA-designed expansion.
The installation coincides with the museum’s major renovation and expansion, which significantly increases gallery space and public programming while reopening the institution to the public.
Sant Ambroeus x Tess Ramirez collaboration
Sant Ambroeus is partnering with artist Tess Ramirez to debut a visual journey of the brand’s storied history on the walls of its Soho Location during Frieze New York. Sant Ambroeus will be introducing new, exciting culinary creations to the menu, including a new cocktail named Milano to honor its 90th anniversary and mark Frieze Week in the city.
Performance Art and Auctions Across the City
Major auction houses including Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips, and Bonhams stage their spring sales during this period. The outcomes can be seen as predictor of the strength of the art market preceding Frieze New York and are watched closely.
These auctions provide an opportunity to witness the highest stakes of the art market in real-time.
Here are the key auctions to visit:
- Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale
- Date: May 8, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Sotheby’s New York, 1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
- Highlights: Works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and more iconic artists.
- Christie’s 20th Century Art Evening Sale
- Date: May 9, 2026
- Time: 7:30 PM
- Location: Christie’s New York, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10167
- Highlights: Featuring an exceptional selection of modern and contemporary masterpieces, including works by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Yayoi Kusama.
- Phillips Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale
- Date: May 8, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Location: Phillips New York, 450 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022
- Highlights: Featuring works from emerging artists and established contemporary art icons like Banksy and Jeff Koons.
- Bonhams Post-War and Contemporary Art Auction
- Date: May 7, 2026
- Time: 5:30 PM
- Location: Bonhams New York, 580 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022
- Highlights: Featuring a selection of post-war and contemporary works, including pieces by Damien Hirst, Richard Prince, and others.
These auctions provide an unmissable opportunity to witness the intersection of art and commerce, with some of the world’s most coveted works going under the hammer prior to Frieze New York 2026.
Also popping up all over the city are performances and public art installations. Spanning from the High Line, The Shed, and Dia Art Foundation, they will feature temporary installations that engage with the city’s architecture and public spaces.
From May 13- 17, Frieze New York‘s citywide program brings together durational performance, moving image and site-responsive installation. Across immersive and participatory works, it explores the relationships between body, enviroment and perception.
Highlights include:
- Olafur Eliasson‘s site-specific installation on the High Line, examining themes of climate change and the human impact on nature.
- The Shed’s performance piece “Disruption in Motion” by artist Rashaad Newsome, blending music, dance, and visual art to explore themes of Black identity and resilience.
- Jonathan González at the Whitney Museum
- David Lamelas at Dia Art Foundation
- Kite at The Shed
The live performances coupled with strategic institutional auctions and partnerships reinforces New York City as a leading center for contemporary art and establishes Frieze New York during New York Art Week as one of the most important events in the global art calendar. Mark your calendars May 13- 17 to celebrate the vibrancy and creative spirit of New York’s art scene.