Are American Contemporary Art Fairs Impacting Young Art Collectors? New York Armory Arts Week and Art Basel Miami Beach Week

This paper sets out to explore the two biggest contemporary art fair weeks in America: Armory Arts Week in New York in March and Art Basel Miami Beach Week in December. Specifically, it attempts to see if these art fairs, and their surrounding satellite events, which attract large groups of young crowds each year, as well as the seasoned collectors, are making the process of buying art a more accessible platform for young collectors, as fair organizers claim it to be. Although these organizers are attracting younger audiences through marketing tactics and various events they host during the week, this paper sets out to investigate whether young art collectors are in fact attending these fairs and more importantly, whether they are actually buying art while there.