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Media Contact: Danielle Smith
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stARTup Art Fair Chicago’s Post Fair Wrap
The inaugural edition closes with sales, engaging programming and
confirmation of the Midwest as a strong market for independent artists
Scenes from the inaugural stARTup Art Fair Chicago. All photos by Marvin Michaels.
startupartfair.com/CHI
CHICAGO, IL, October 4, 2016 - The first edition of​ ​stARTup Art Fair​ Chicago, which ran
September 23 - September 25, 2016, closed with strong sales, pleased exhibitors, engaged
patrons and confirmation that the Midwest is a thriving marketplace for independent artists. The
fair received high praise from the local arts community—art writers, curators, collectors and art
consultants—further underscoring the fair’s decision to travel to Chicago for its third iteration.

2. Held concurrently with the international art fair, EXPO Chicago, the fair’s organizers ​Ray
Beldner​ and ​Steve Zavattero​ recognized the Midwest’s art community as a supportive
audience for independent artists. Over the course of three days, stARTup saw a steady stream
of highly engaged and notable patrons who viewed work by 23 artists from all over the United
States, as well as exhibitions from seven non-profit cultural partners based in the Midwest.
Accomplishing its mission, the fair gave exhibiting artists the ability to present their work to both
new and existing clients, gather incisive feedback about their art practice from a qualified
audience, and facilitate connections for career advancement. The fair closed with happy artists
and true optimism about the unique opportunity that stARTup provides for independent artists to
experience art fair-quality exhibition exposure.
stARTup Art Fair took place at the boutique​ ​MileNorth Hotel​, which transformed floors 4-5-6 of
the high-rise hotel into an exuberant and highly intimate contemporary art experience. Solo and
collective exhibitions filled each hotel room, performance art flowed into hallways, and visitors
passed from room to room, conversing with the artists themselves about their work. Impressive
sales were made, ranging from $20 to $5,000—with artists keeping 100% of the sales proceeds.
Purchases occurred from the opening bell at noon on Friday until after the doors closed on
Sunday evening, with almost every exhibiting artist reporting sales or works on hold.
Additionally, many new connections were forged between artists and prospective industry
professionals for exhibitions and future sales. As always, the fair organizers attribute the
success of stARTup Art Fair to the talented and driven exhibiting artists, and are grateful to the
enthusiastic visitors for supporting their vision in presenting independent artists to a savvy
audience.
Programming highlights of stARTup Art Fair included​ DFBRL8R​’s delivery of non-stop,
back-to-back performance art for the entire run of the fair, continuing even when the fair was
closed to attendees. Accessible to an international audience through live stream, ​Joseph
Raven​’s curation of 16 performance artists from all over the country and Venezuela was an
incredible display of vision, talent and emerging voices in performance art. ​Michelle Grabner
curated a crowd favorite exhibition of three Milwaukee-based artists ​Kim Miller, Sara Caron,
and Keith Nelson​. The fair also hosted two full days of Art Conversations with notable panelists
including: ​Paul Klein​, ​Carlos Salazar Lermont​, ​Katie Waddell​, ​Mark Jeffery​, ​Trevor Martin​,
Juan Angel Chavez​, ​Magalie Guerin​, ​Edra Soto​,​ Tom Torluemke​ and ​Judy Ledgerwood​.
Chicago’s arts community explored the fair giving artists direct access to arts professionals.
Notable attendees included: ​Christa Blatchford​ (Executive Director, Joan Mitchell Foundation),
Aron Packer​ (Aron Packer Projects), ​Patti Gilford​ (Patti Gilford Art Advisory Services), ​Ebony
Patterson​ (Artist), ​Melanie Ross​ (Associate Director, Dolby Chadwick Gallery) ​Carol Nasaw
(Art Consultant), ​Derek Guthrie​ (Original Co-founder, New Art Examiner​), ​Kate Hendrickson
(Artist, Art Consultant),​ Daniel Kinkade​ (Daniel Kinkade Fine Art), ​Mi-yeon Kwon​ (Executive
Director, Prak-sis), ​Andrew Rafacz​ (Andrew Rafacz Gallery), ​Paul Klein​ (​Artist Advocate),
Jenny Lam ​(Artist, Art Writer), ​Elliot Reichert​ (Editor, NewCity Art), ​Brad Fiore ​(Art Critic),
Susan Blackman​ (Independent Art Consultant), ​Heather Marx​ (Heather Marx Art Advisory),

3. Mia DiMeo ​(Arts Journalist), ​Judith Mayer ​(Printerly Press), ​Victor Cassidy ​(International
Association of Art Critics), ​Kristina Pedersen​ (Contributor, Temporary Arts Review), ​Elise
Boivin ​(Founder, CEO, ArtlyOwl) ​Crystal Cawley​ (Soho Myriad Art Consulting), ​Alison Reilly
(Managing Editor, Chicago Gallery News), ​Jason Lesniewicz, ​(Manager of Cultural Tourism,
Choose Chicago).
Artist Responses
"The stARTup Fair/Chicago was an invigorating weekend for my art practice. Not only did I
generate sales of my work, it was a relief to finally get my work in front of a new and serious art
audience. I had some amazing conversations with collectors, gallerists and consultants and the
shared experience with the other artists forged new and sustaining friendships​.​" -​Nancy Willis
"Being an exhibiting artist at stARTup Chicago is an invaluable experience! Not just merely a
chance for an independent artist to connect with art world and market professionals and make
sales, it is a fantastic opportunity for artists to flex their self-marketing and self-curating muscles.
I highly recommend it." -​Katrina Bello
“I sold a piece to a gallery owner! It’s been really nice, and I’ve enjoyed talking to everyone,
including the artists. They all inspired me.” ​ ​-​Victoria Estacio Huckins
“My weekend was a filled with so many interesting conversations and positive comments.”
-​Ann-Marie​ ​Stöhr
"Great concept and great fellow artists!" -​Larry Roberts
2016 stARTup Art Fair Chicago Exhibiting Artists
Katrina Bello, John Casey, Erik Rashad Clark, Rodney Ewing, David Gista, Karolina Gnatowski,
Matheus Goulart, Victoria Estacio Huckins, Philippe Jestin, Woo Jae Lim, Liséa Lyons, Emily
Maddigan, Sarah Morrison & Bill Rogers, Karen Olsen-Dunn, Pooja Pittie, Alissa Polan, Simon
Pyle, Larry Roberts, Ann-Marie Stöhr, Lien Truong, Nancy Willis, Chunbo Zhang
2016 stARTup Art Fair Chicago Exhibiting Non-Profit & Cultural Partners
DFBRL8R​, ​Hyde Park Art Center​, ​Roots & Culture​, ​LVL3 - InsideWithin - The Arts of Life​,
Michelle Grabner​, ​New American Paintings
About stARTup Art Fair
The art world is changing, and many artists are finding themselves working outside of the
traditional gallery system. The core mission of stARTup Art Fair is to provide a professional
exhibition venue for independent artists -- artists who do not have a formal agreement with a
commercial gallery. Co-Founders Ray Beldner and Steve Zavattero believe in the viability of
Chicago and the Midwest as an important visual art center. stARTup Art Fair provides a new
avenue for the creative longevity of the contemporary visual artist, providing a marketplace that

4. gives artists power to present and sell work -- and keep 100% of all sales proceeds -- on their
own terms.
For more about the fair, please visit:​ ​startupartfair.com/CHI