Fair Manager – Exhibitor Relations
The Affordable Art Fair formula is simple – a relaxed, unstuffy environment in which people feel confident to explore, learn about, and buy contemporary art under a ceiling price of $12,000.
Founded in 1999, the Affordable Art Fair is the world’s biggest art fair organizer and now hosts fairs in 14 cities annually around the world, including London, New York, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Sydney, Austin and Boston in 2025. It is owned by Ramsay Fairs, which also includes VOLTA Art Fair and British Art Fair.
Our overarching aim is to help more people discover the joy of collecting. To expand the art market by organizing a fair that is welcoming, fun and educational; empowering our visitors to make purchases and benefiting galleries and artists. Please see www.affordableartfair.com for more details.
We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace fosters innovation, creativity, and productivity, and encourage applicants from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply. Ramsay Fairs is committed to building a workplace that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all employees.
THE ROLE
This is a dynamic and practical role focused on all aspects of gallery relations toward executing large scale art fairs in Boston and New York City. This involves managing art galleries participation and overall relationship with Affordable Art Fair. Ensuring all galleries participating are onboarded to the highest standard, and setting them up for success. Reporting directly to the Fair Director and currently working across three fairs, this role requires a high level of organization and the ability to work under pressure in a team environment. The individual must be a doer with problem solving attitude. Further to this, we are seeking someone who can balance the enjoyment of being in the detail of planning, analysis (demonstrating an aptitude for using using excel, salesforce and ideally sketch-up), all while demonstrating creative thinking. Whilst the core role is focused on gallery account management, the Fair Manager has influence across fair team, and therefore should have the ability to think laterally, holistically and analytically about the bigger picture of our business sustainability and art fair mission.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
▪Recruiting and selling to galleries to join Affordable Art Fair primarily for Boston, but also for NYC
▪Primary contact for exhibitors throughout the year
▪Utilizing network of galleries, institutions and collectors in the Boston area as will be the face of the brand locally and will be needed to be seen at art events.
▪Proactive work ethic necessary to work in solo situations as well as in a small team while under pressure.
▪Providing introductions to and cultivating connections with local partner institutions and brands for potential sponsorship deals
▪Manage all aspects of exhibitor participation in all three Affordable Art Fairs in Boston and NYC from applications, through to onsite experience
▪Manage the application launch, processing and communication of results
▪Work closely with Fair Director to manage artist selection and approval process for the fair
▪Create and plot Fair floorplan using sketch-up in collaboration with Operations Manager
▪Update and send out Exhibitor Manual and Exhibitor Forms along with stand allocation to exhibitors
▪Conduct one-to-one welcome calls and stand workshops with new and returning exhibitors. Advise on stand build and hang.
▪Process all exhibitor layouts and stand extra orders. Communicate final order and build to our stand builders and/or producers
▪Oversee and sign-off on exhibitor build onsite in collaboration with Operations Manager
▪Sign-off on exhibitor listings in press releases, Affordable Art Fair website and the Fair Guide
▪Welcome Exhibitors onsite and be a strong presence on the floor throughout the fair
▪Responsible for stand build budget lines, managing costs and selling stand extras to ensure revenue targets are met
▪Maintain up to date information for each fair cycle in company CRM and Exhibitor Portal
▪Produce reports and analyses on exhibitor data throughout the year to feed into post fair reports and future planning and development of events
DETAILS
▪ Salary: $70,000-80,000 per year
▪ Based in Boston, Massachusetts – remote
▪ Willingness to travel – an estimated 10-15% of time will be dedicated to travel to NYC and around New England for gallery pipeline cultivation
▪ Evening and weekend work will be required; in these instances we provide time off in lieu (TOIL)
We encourage and invite candidates from all backgrounds and ethnicities to apply. This role would be ideal for an individual with quantitative event experience, who has worked with art galleries, and is comfortable working independently and remotely.
The candidate must have exceptional spoken and written English, and be based in Boston.
HOW TO APPLY
Thank you for considering the role. To apply, please email a CV and Cover Letter to Erin Schuppert, Fair Director at erin@affordableartfair.com with the subject line; ‘Application for Fair Manager – Exhibitor Relations’
Image Credit: Affordable Art Fair LLC