Dallas Art Fair returns April 16-19, offering collectors, arts professionals, and the public an opportunity to engage with a rich selection of modern and contemporary artworks, presented by leading national and international galleries. The thoughtfully curated exhibitions and innovative programming encourage lively conversations, and a closer look at the area’s robust and rapidly growing arts community. The 2026 Dallas Arts Fair is April 16-19 at Fashion Industry Gallery (F.I.G.), 1807 Ross Avenue in the Downtown Arts District.
Inaugural Dallas Art Prize April 14
The inaugural Dallas Art Prize dinner will be held Tues., April 14, honoring the recipient John McAllister. The landscape painter will receive a $20,000 unrestricted prize to continue his creative work.
“This award is not about emerging potential alone, but about recognizing artists who are already shaping contemporary thought and who are poised to define how museums, audiences and histories will engage with art in the decades ahead,” said John Sughrue, founder of the Dallas Art Fair. “John McAllister will be a lasting influence in the art world not because his work demands attention, but because it quietly earns it — making him deeply deserving of major art prize recognition.”
McAllister’s work will be formally presented within the James Fuentes Gallery at the 2026 Dallas Art Fair. In addition, McAllister will be recognized at the exclusive annual Dallas Artist Honoree dinner at the home of Anne and Steve Stodghill, co-hosted by Sheridan and Bryan Reeder. He will also participate in an artist talk at the Dallas Museum of Art on Wed., April 15.
“Texas holds a very special place in my heart, because it is where I developed the certaty that I would be an artist,” said McAllister. “Attending the University of Texas and making frequent trips to Dallas to visit the museums had a huge impact on the early foundations of my practice and makes me all the more proud to receive this award.”
Dallas-based artists to be recognized at this year’s Dallas Art Fair include SMU professor Daniel Rios Rodriguez, showing with Seven Sisters Gallery, Sophia Anthony showing with Make Room LA, and Nic Nicosia with Erin Cluley Gallery. Dallas Art Prize was established to support artists with sustained, prolific practices who engage meaningfully and whose work demonstrates intellectual depth, cultural relevance and critical resonance. The prize reflects the Dallas Art Fair’s broader commitment to fostering artistic excellence, curatorial rigor and international exchange.
Dallas Art Fair Design Crossover
The Dallas Art Fair introduces a design crossover this year, with the addition of Carpenters Workshop Gallery (they represent Rick Owens among many others). Sputnik Modern also returns, bringing collectable functional art into conversation with blue chip contemporary work. ShyBoy HiFi will provide listening stations throughout the fair, adding a new listening experience for guests to enjoy. Ambient music in the outdoor courtyard and sculpture garden curated by Mexico City’s OMR.
Dallas Art Fair Auxiliary Events
Design District Gallery Night is Wed. April 15 from 5-8 p.m. (150 Manufacturing Street in Dallas). Featuring galleries throughout the vibrant Dallas Design District, including 12.26, Erin Cluley Gallery, Meliksetian | Briggs, PDNB, Cris Worley Fine Arts, Galleri Urbane, and Holly Johnson Gallery.
KTX Biennial Exclusive Preview Breakfast 9:30-11 a.m. Thurs. April 16, with remarks at 10 a.m. Located in The Founders Room, 2nd Floor of the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N Harwood Street. An exclusive preview of the inaugural KTX Biennial, Texas’ first biennial dedicated exclusively to public art. Curated by New York–based curator Jovanna Venegas, the exhibition will debut in Spring of 2027 along Dallas’ Katy Trail, transforming the 3.5-mile corridor. *Exhibitor or VIP pass required.
Dallas Art Fair VIP First Look from 12–4 p.m. at the Fashion Industry Gallery (f.i.g.), 1807 Ross Avenue in Dallas. *Entry with a digital VIP Pass. Foundation Preview Benefit (requires VIP preview pass) 5–9 p.m. at Fashion Industry Gallery. Be among the first to view artworks presented by over 90 participating galleries. A fundraiser for the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Dallas Contemporary, this event celebrates the 18th anniversary of Dallas Art Fair the evening before the public opening. Preview the art, meet gallerists, and mingle with friends during this signature festive event hosted by the Dallas Art Fair Foundation.
Dallas Art Fair is free and open to the public Friday-Satuday, April 17-18, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 19 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For an updated and more detailed list of all events associated with the 2026 Dallas Art Fair, please visit dallasartfair.com.
