Photo courtesy of FOG Design+Art.
SF Art Week is back, and the lineup is larger than ever. Even if you follow artsy accounts on social media, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume—what’s part of the week, what’s happening alongside it, and where to start. Here’s what to know before you go.
So, What Is SF Art Week?
SF Art Week (SFAW) is an annually-coordinated event celebrating the diverse arts landscape of the Bay Area. Timed around FOG Design+Art in the third week of January, SFAW brings together local galleries, museums, nonprofits, artist-run spaces, and pop-ups for a concentrated week of art openings and cultural programming that is mostly free and open to the public.
Think of it as SF’s citywide homecoming for art: a rare chance to experience the Bay Area arts ecosystem as a whole.
Now in its third official year, running January 17–25, 2026, SFAW includes over 100 participants and more than 100 events packed into a single week. There’s an application process and fee for organizations to take part in SFAW-sponsored promotions, but the calendar doesn’t stop at their listed program—the city’s also full of parallel happenings from other arts organizations and DIY pop-ups sharing in the momentum.
In other words: it’s a lot. So we’ll be here to help filter the noise throughout the week with a guide you can actually use.
What We’re Looking Forward To
Here’s a shortlist of what we’re excited about this year:
New Fairs Changing the Shape of the Week
This year, three new art fairs are joining the mix, each offering a distinct take on what an art fair can look like.
Photo courtesy of Art.Fair.Mont.
Art.Fair.Mont
Debuting January 18–20, Art.Fair.Mont is taking over the Pavilion Room at the historic Fairmont hotel for a tightly-curated, boutique fair co-produced by GCS Agency and supported by The Svane Family Foundation and ABG Foundation. The fair brings together nine contemporary galleries from the U.S. and abroad. We spoke with founder Victor Gonzalez about why launch now, why he’s keeping the fair intentionally scaled, and what “success” looks like in SF right now. Read the full interview.
Public viewing days are free with a suggested donation, with a portion of proceeds benefiting arts and culture initiatives in the Bay Area.
Photo courtesy of SF Art Week.
ATRIUM
Launching January 22–25 at Minnesota Street Project in Dogpatch, ATRIUM positions itself as an alternative art fair rooted in the Bay Area gallery scene. Featuring more than 20 local galleries, ATRIUM emphasizes accessibility, experimentation, and community connection—alongside Skylight Above, a parallel exhibition highlighting artist-run and alternative exhibition models.
Free and open to the public.
Creativity Explored × Open Invitational
Running January 23–25 at a Fremont Street pop-up location, Creativity Explored × Open Invitational introduces a new art fair model centered on artists with disabilities. The fair brings together progressive studios from across the country, with individual funding to support participation—addressing barriers that have historically kept many studios out of the fair circuit and raising overdue questions about access, visibility, and who gets collected.
Free and open to the public.
Official Picks + Off-Schedule Gems
Stay tuned! We’ll be covering SFAW programming throughout the week, while also tracking what’s happening in parallel: artist-run shows, DIY pop-ups, and under-the-radar events that may not be labeled “SF Art Week,” but absolutely shapes the week’s energy. Follow along on Instagram for daily guides, quick recommendations, and real-time updates as it unfolds.
One-night-only events that reward showing up
SFAW x ICA SF Kickoff Party
Taking place Saturday, January 17 at Transamerica Pyramid Center, the SFAW Kickoff Party doubles as the public opening of ICA SF’s new site-specific exhibitions, Tara Donovan: Stratagems and Lily Kwong: EARTHSEED DOME. The night includes music curated by DJ Marcus Rosario, drinks and bites, plus Radial Ritual, a looping site-specific performance by Madeline Hollander (6:30, 7:30, and 8:30PM) activating the Redwood Park and surrounding site.
Free RSVP required; currently waitlist-only.
Photo by Shaun Roberts courtesy of Maybaum Gallery.
Satellite Gallery Opening Event (Maybaum Gallery)
On Saturday, January 24, Maybaum Gallery will celebrate the opening of its new downtown location inside the former Barneys & FAO Schwarz building. The space spans three floors and 20,000 square feet with a group exhibition featuring work by Ilhwa Kim, Aiko Tezuka, Nadia Yaron, Kim Cogan, Victoria Wagner, Gregory Hayes, and Dharma Strasser MacColl, among others.
Invite only; inquire via info@maybaumgallery.com.
Photo by Nikki Ritcher courtesy of FOG Design+Art.
…and the fair anchoring the week: FOG Design+Art
FOG Design+Art returns to Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture January 21–25, bringing together more than 60 galleries from around the world and the most expansive presentation of FOG FOCUS to date.
FOG opens with a Preview Gala benefiting SFMOMA’s education initiatives on Jan. 21 (tickets from $250+). Public fair days run Jan. 22–25: single-day tickets are $35 in advance ($40 after Jan. 21, plus fees), and four-day passes are $95 in advance ($100 after Jan. 21, plus fees).
How to Engage Without Overload
With 100+ events on the calendar, it’s impossible to “do it all.” The biggest mistake first-timers make is trying to keep up. A better approach: treat SF Art Week like a menu, not a checklist.
Quick tips:
- Pick a neighborhood each day versus navigating the whole city.
- Follow the spaces and artists you’re genuinely curious about.
- Going solo counts—and sometimes it’s the best way to actually see the work.
- Check our Instagram for daily guides and recaps!
Why This Week Matters
For artists, galleries, and nonprofits, this week isn’t merely symbolic—it’s a proving ground: a chance to plant a flag and say, we’re here.
It’s also a week where attention translates fast. Openings drive attention. Attention drives support: sales, donations, memberships, press, future opportunities. And in a city where cultural spaces can disappear between one lease cycle and the next, those signals matter.
By showing up, you help make the arts ecosystem visible. SF Art Week is one of the few moments you can experience the Bay Area art scene in one sweep—so pick a night, pick a space, and be part of the momentum.
We’ll see you out there!
Art Guide SF will be publishing curated event guides, recaps, and recommendations throughout SF Art Week. If you’re new to the scene or just want a guide you can trust, we’ve got you covered.