Aspen becomes a capital for high-altitude arts, the Art Week returns on July 29 with a renewed sense of purpose and an increasingly ambitious program range, spanning fairs, institutions and luxury venues. Now, Intersect Aspen Art + Design Fair will transform Aspen Ice Garden into the city’s largest cultural canvas in the 15th edition, with more than 40 exhibitors. Meanwhile, the sophomore version of the Aspen Art Fair will take over the historic hotel Jerome in 2025
When we connect before Aspen Art Week, Becca Hoffman, co-founder of the fair, told Observer that “I’m always looking for a suitable place to go.” Hoffman has a deep understanding of the local stage, previously served as managing director of Intersect Aspen Art + Design from 2020 to 2023 and directed its online version of the popular period and the subsequent three Internet. When she opened the Aspen Art Fair last year with Bob Chase, she set out to create a boutique, destination-driven experience designed to attract more people to the city while focusing on its vibrant cultural scenes.
She was known to succeed, which was no surprise to anyone familiar with her background. Hoffman brought a lot of art fair knowledge as her time led the Outsider Art Fair. She is also the brain of a series of nomadic, well-curated activities that intersect art and design, including the “windows and sofas” in Vienna, the “influencer” in Milan, the “La Mer” in Marseille and the “feast” in Singapore. But in Aspen, Hoffman discovered that every art fair needs charitable support to grow and thrive. “We think it is a destination that continues to develop, triggers dialogue, stimulates intelligence and drives creative narratives,” she said.
