I first heard about the Startup Art Fair in 2017. I don’t know when it started—possibly in 2015, but since then, the fair has expanded from San Francisco to Houston and Los Angeles. I didn’t know much about it, only that artists took over the Hotel del Sol in San Francisco and transformed their rooms into their own personal gallery spaces. I applied in 2020 but a week after being accepted, the country went into lockdown and the fair was cancelled. In early 2025 I was excited to learn of the fair’s return to San Francisco in April. I applied and was accepted.
The Startup Art Fair was developed by Artist Ray Beldner to give independent artists the opportunity to take control of their careers and connect directly with collectors and curators in an intimate boutique hotel setting. The three day event, running concurrently with the San Francisco Art Fair, attracts visitors already in the area who are interested in art.
Upon acceptance, each artist selects a room (at varying rates) which will become their exhibit space. All existing furniture in the room must remain. Some artists choose to flip up their beds, buttressing them against the wall, and store other furniture in the bathroom or closet. These are good options if you don’t plan on spending the nights in the space. I brought in ProPanel walls to display my work, since the recommended 3M Command strips would not support my ceramic wall sculptures.
There is a food and a drink vendor on-site for the duration of the fair, along with various performances, including music and dance. This helps create a festive environment, which encourages visitors to stay and see all 60+ artists.
The fair is a ticketed event, limiting the amount of walk-in visitors, but it is marketed to art professionals attending the San Francisco Art Fair to discover and buy art. I found a wide variety of visitors including art students, families, and many representing industries that support the arts.
Ray uses his experience as an artist to lead his team to organize and facilitate the process for participants. They are available prior to the fair if any questions or concerns arise. Helpful emails go out to artists alerting them of timelines and other pertinent information for a successful event. If you are considering this as a selling option, its a good idea to visit the actual event. Look for announcements near at the beginning of the year or go to startupartfair.com and get on their mailing list.
