More than 21,000 guests made their way through the gates of WestWorld of Scottsdale this past weekend as Scottsdale Art Week presented by Scottsdale Ferrari delivered increased crowds for 112 galleries across 123 booths. Ticket sales climbed 133% over its inaugural run, and a Justin BUA painting sold for $1.2 million within the first two hours, setting the tone for an unforgettable four days to follow.
This year’s fair, held Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22, 2026, brought together international galleries representing 19 countries, with thousands of blue-chip, contemporary, modern, Indigenous, Western, European and LatinX works available for viewing and acquisition.
Paintings, sculptures, glass, mixed-media creations and more started at about $3,000 and extended well into the seven figures, offering entry points for both new buyers and serious collectors.
“We saw strong results across the floor, and they weren’t limited to any one medium or style,”
said Scottsdale Art Week Co-Founder Trey Brennen. “That kind of broad activity is exactly what you hope to see at a fair like this.”
Attendance held strong from open to close each day despite unusually warm temperatures across the region, with WestWorld’s expansive and air-conditioned North Hall providing plenty of space for guests to move comfortably and circulate between booths, exhibitions, installations and scheduled programming. Many galleries reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales and outlined plans to return for future installments, with upcoming Scottsdale Art Week dates already locked in through 2029.
“’The Arrival’ captures the last breath of a world before contact,” said Justin BUA, whose work sold for more than $1.2 million at the MRG Fine Art booth during First Look. “Native peoples standing on their land in 1605, unknowingly on the edge of everything about to change forever. I grew up in a neighborhood in New York City surrounded by chaos, economic hardship and uncertainty, so I understand in my bones what it feels like to stand on the edge of an era about to be transformed, and I painted that feeling with everything I had.”
The fair offered no shortage of things to see and do, with five Ferraris, 32 monumental sculptures and works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Alex Katz and Maynard Dixon appearing alongside those by emerging and mid-career artists. Among the emerging artists was sculptor James Doran-Webb, who had his first U.S. solo exhibition at the Gladwell & Patterson booth and sold eight out of the 12 sculptures he exhibited.
The 2026 Scottsdale Art Week beneficiary was Phoenix Art Museum and a check for $25,000 was proudly presented to Jeremy Mikolajczak, The Sybil Harrington Director & CEO of the museum during Opening Night.
The weekend also included several notable recognitions. Artist Cara Romero earned the Indigenous Artist of the Year honor during the Opening Night Vernissage, joining Phoenix Art Museum Director Emeritus James Ballinger, who received the Scottsdale Art Week Lifetime Achievement Award, and Pivotal Group Founder and CEO Francis Najafi, who secured the Philanthropist of the Year honor.
Cultural Programming was also a major draw, with nearly a dozen panel discussions
throughout the fair, featuring museum directors, curators, artists, gallery owners and art experts offering insight into a wide variety of topics in the art market. Entertainment on opening night featured a musical performance by Lunar Calendar and a runway presentation by Galina Mihaleva.
“Our second edition reflected a significant evolution of Scottsdale Art Week, both in the caliber of presentations and the depth of engagement from our audience,” said Fair Director and Co-Owner Amy Gause. “Guests moved through the fair with intention, engaging meaningfully with galleries and artworks alike, resulting in strong sales and a vibrant, continuous rhythm from opening through close. We look forward to building on this momentum in 2027.”
For more about Scottsdale Art Week, visit ScottsdaleArtWeek.com or stay connected via Facebook, Instagram and X.