EXPO CHICAGO has revealed the first details of its 2026 edition, taking place April 9–12, 2026 at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall with Northern Trust returning as Presenting Sponsor. Led by new Director Kate Sierzputowski and Curator Essence Harden, the fair enters a new chapter with a more focused, intentionally scaled format, designed to deepen engagement for seasoned collectors, first-time visitors, and regional audiences alike.
Presenting over 130 galleries from around the world in a refined floorplan, EXPO CHICAGO 2026 emphasizes clarity, discovery and meaningful encounters with art. The updated format reflects a strengthened artistic vision for the fair, prioritizing coherence, curatorial context and accessibility, while maintaining EXPO’s role as a key convening point for the Midwest and beyond.
Curatorial programming plays an expanded role in this approach. An expanded partnership with the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center introduces Embodiment, curated by Dr. Louise Bernard, Director of the Obama Presidential Center Museum, alongside Evolution, an exhibition featuring select archival materials drawn from the Center’s art commissions. Together, the programs offer visitors a compelling perspective on history, identity, and cultural memory, grounded in Chicago and shaped by its global connections.
Further curated sections continue this enhanced approach: Focus (formerly Exposure), curated by Kate A. Pfohl of the Detroit Institute of Arts, highlights emerging galleries and artistic practices, creating an accessible entry point to the fair. Profile, curated by Essence Harden, presents solo booths and focused projects by established international galleries, offering depth, context, and sustained engagement.
“As we build toward EXPO CHICAGO 2026, our priority has been to refocus the fair on what has always defined it: rigorous curation, civic collaboration, and a deep commitment to artists,” said Kate Sierzputowski, Director of EXPO CHICAGO. “Over the past year, we have shaped a fair environment that allows thoughtful, high-quality presentations to take form. The goal is a fair that feels intentional, artist-centered, and reflective of the creative energy of Chicago.”
“EXPO CHICAGO is uniquely positioned to connect artists with museums and collections,” said Essence Harden, Curator of EXPO CHICAGO. “This year’s presentations reflect focused, conceptually rigorous practices that resonate with institutional priorities while also engaging collectors. By building on institutional relationships and acquisition pathways, the fair becomes a meaningful point of entry for artists into broader cultural and curatorial networks.”
“EXPO CHICAGO enters its next chapter with a clear sense of purpose,” said Kristell Chadé, Executive Director of Fairs at Frieze. “This momentum is driven by the vision Kate and Essence bring to the fair, placing curatorial expertise at the center of decision-making. Across all sections, the gallery list reflects strong continuity alongside new energy, resulting in a more intentional fair model that speaks to a pivotal moment for EXPO CHICAGO.”
Key Initiatives
● Dr. Louise Bernard, Director of the Obama Presidential Center Museum and past participant in the inaugural Directors Summit and Keynote Speaker in 2024, will curate two initiatives at EXPO CHICAGO, marking a significant partnership with the organization. Embodiment, is a curated section inspired by the architecture and commissioned artists of the Obama Presidential Center, ahead of its anticipated opening in 2026. Evolution will be presented as an exhibition of archival materials drawn from the Center’s art commissions.
● Katie A. Pfohl, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts and past participant of the Curatorial Forum, will curate Focus. Titled Gathering of Waters, Focus will explore landscape, migration, and adaptive practices of craft and care, connecting artists and galleries from the Mississippi River Basin with work from
across the African, Latin American and Caribbean diasporas. The section’s eligibility has now been expanded, welcoming galleries 12 years old or younger.
● As part of her role as Curator of EXPO CHICAGO, Essence Harden will curate Profile, foregrounding focused presentations, solo and tightly conceived group projects. The section builds on EXPO’s institutional relationships and acquisition pathways, highlighting rigorous making and a scholarly impulse that invites sustained engagement over time.
● EXPO CHICAGO continues its collaboration with the Galleries Association of Korea (GAoK), presenting 12 leading Korean galleries within the fair. This initiative builds on the successful synergy established between Kiaf SEOUL and Frieze Seoul.
Participating Galleries
The 2026 edition of EXPO CHICAGO will welcome a considered roster of galleries from the local Chicago community including: GRAY, Corbett vs. Dempsey, moniquemeloche, PATRON, ANDREW RAFACZ, DOCUMENT, Secrist | Beach, McCormick Gallery, Good Weather, M. LeBlanc and THE MISSION PROJECTS.
The fair also sees broad representation across the United States, including: Karma, Sean Kelly, Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, Regen Projects, Anton Kern, Jessica Silverman, Night Gallery, Gallery Wendi Norris, Marc Straus Gallery, Miles McEnery Gallery, Vielmetter Los Angeles, ILY2, Megan Mulrooney, Magenta Plains, 56 HENRY, Chris Sharp Gallery, Weinstein Hammons Gallery, Fort Gansevoort, half gallery, 47 Canal, Marinaro, Jonathan Carver Moore, april april, Bockley Gallery, Mindy Solomon Gallery, Nature of Things, Sybil Gallery, and What Pipeline.
International participation adds a broader context to the fair with galleries including: Nara Roesler, LEE & BAE, A Lighthouse called Kanata, Cynthia Corbett Gallery, Yehudi Hollander Pappi, EMBAJADA, 021 Gallery, Paik Hae Young Gallery, Kevin Kavanaugh, THIRD BORN, Adegbola Gallery, Circle Art Gallery, Gillian Jason Gallery, Mitre Galeria, Patel Brown, Public Gallery, TERN Gallery, and VERVE.
