The 16th Intersect Aspen Art + Design Fair is set to run from July 28 to Aug. 1 during Aspen ArtWeek, focusing on modern and contemporary art, uniting leading galleries and emerging artists in one venue.
Last year, Intersect Aspen accomplished record high sales and record-breaking attendance, reaching 25% more attendance than 2024. This year, they’re aiming to continue exceeding expectations.
“Our objective is to raise the level of the art and the excitement of the event each year. Even with the great success of our 2025 iteration of Intersect Aspen Art + Design Fair, the upcoming edition of the fair will achieve this goal. Aspen is where art is truly elevated,” Intersect Art and Design Chief Executive Officer Tim von Gal said in a statement.
The 2026 edition will spotlight ambitious, large-scale installations and curated presentations from a select group of exhibitors, reflecting current developments in contemporary art.
Programming will feature visiting artists — photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, along with collage artist Jay Kelly — in addition to highlighting locals — Whit Boucher’s nature-driven works, Kinga Czerska’s contemporary paintings, John Doyle’s wood sculptures and Topher Strauss’s large-scale digital landscape artworks will all be on display.
“We have a wonderful lineup of artists that will be in attendance from the local area, all the way down to Denver,” von Gal said. “If you look at the work and commitment to the process of each of these artists, it is really enlightening to speak to them — to understand the artistic journey, the commitment and the level of time, effort, energy, intelligence and mindfulness they put into their work.”
Many of the artists are exploring new styles that will bring a lot of excitement to the fair, von Gal added.
Talks and tours will bring influential voices from the art world and more than a dozen of Aspen’s leading cultural institutions, including Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Casterline|Goodman Gallery and Ori Gallery.
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In 2021, von Gal and his brother Dirk relaunched Aspen’s annual art fair — formerly known as Art Aspen — as Intersect Aspen Art + Design Fair. Originally Connecticut natives, the brothers now reside in Georgia. Both have a deep affinity for Aspen, according to a press release.
“We see Aspen as a place where art is part of the fabric of the community,” von Gal said. “What’s been most meaningful is the support from the Aspen community, along with our galleries, partners and collectors. That shared energy pushes us to keep evolving the fair in a thoughtful way — bringing in that strong work, creating space for conversation and continuing to build something that resonates year after year.”.
Dirk thoroughly enjoyed working as a ski instructor in Aspen in the 1990s, while Tim first came here on business and now comes back whenever he can. When they were presented with the opportunity to relaunch the summer art event that had been running since 2010, they took on the project and have since given the fair new life and energy while expanding its programming, according to the release.
Intersect Aspen’s thematic pillars will be reflected in the artwork. Each theme features a dedicated program and a panelist talk in the fair’s redesigned theater:
- The R/Evolution of Art and Technology — Examines technology’s evolving role as a creative force at the intersection of art and technological innovation
- Art as a Catalyst for Positive Social Consciousness — Explores how art prompts reflection and can inspire meaningful change
- The Art of our Natural World — Highlights the relationship between art and the environment, inspired by Aspen’s natural beauty
- Art and the Aspen Community — Celebrates Aspen-based galleries and artists, and the region’s singular role in the arts
- Photography — Presents a globally informed selection of modern, contemporary and historically important photography in dialogue with other disciplines
The fair will kick off with a VIP preview and reception from 3 to 6 p.m. July 28, with the fair open from 3 to 8 p.m. It will then be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., July 29-31. On Aug. 1, hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All-access, multi-day and individual day passes will be on sale in May. A detailed VIP and General Admission schedule will be released closer to the fair.
Intersect Aspen is proud to honor Aspen Community Foundation as its primary beneficiary once again this year, according to the release.
The Aspen Ice Garden venue is located at 233 W. Hyman Ave. For more information and updates, visit IntersectAspen.com.