Kyla McMillan speaks to The Armory Show about her vision for the 2025 fair
The Armory Show 2024. Photo by Jonah Rosenberg.
The Armory Show: You were appointed as The Armory Show Director last year. Can you tell us more about your vision for the future of the fair?
Kyla McMillan: The Armory Show means so much to so many people. It’s been an anchor to the New York art world for many years, and the fair has grown just as New York has grown into the capital of the global art market.
There is so much that makes the fair singular, and I want to highlight that. I also want us to be a fair that is responsive to our time and the needs of our exhibitors. We have the opportunity to be the essential American fair. Our audience of collectors, curators, artists, and practitioners is largely from the US and North America. For exhibitors in the US, participating in The Armory Show tells the story of what is happening in the American art market. And for exhibitors outside of the US, the Armory Show is the fair to engage with American audiences.
TAS: What are the themes of the 2025 edition of The Armory Show?
KM: We have a dynamic program in store for the 2025 fair. We’re working with exciting curators on sections that achieve a few key things.
Our Focus section will highlight work from the American South, as we’re expanding the commercial conversation around artists and galleries in the South. Through this section, we’re offering a glimpse at what’s happening in vital art communities beyond New York.
We’ve introduced a new section, Function, that considers the intersection between art and design, and also aims to eliminate the hierarchies between these two entities.
We’re a fair that happens in an exciting cultural moment in New York, alongside the US Open, New York Fashion Week, and more recently, Collectible Design. We want to build bridges, and bring new audiences into the fair to meet our exhibitors. This new section helps us do this.
I’m excited to share more details as we get closer to the fair!
Many collectors buy their first-ever work at The Armory Show. So our openness and accessibility are at the core of the fair, and I consider it a point of pride. —Kyla McMillan
TAS: What do you hope visitors take away from The Armory Show in 2025?
KM: Providing an excellent visitor experience is a priority for us because it’s the best way to support our exhibitors. So many people have shared with me that The Armory Show was their first fair experience. This is true for many of our exhibitors and artists. Many collectors buy their first-ever work at The Armory Show. So openness and accessibility are at the core of the fair, and I consider it a point of pride.
Our venue supports all of this—the Javits Center is an incredible venue. From the moment you enter, you feel the expansiveness and brightness of the space. This lends to the sense of discovery that is essential to The Armory Show experience.
This year, we’re collaborating with incredible producers, designers, and chefs to create energetic moments within the fair, but also moments for rest and reflection. We are a large fair and our goal is to support sustained, meaningful, and dynamic engagement. Someone should be able to spend the whole day at the fair seeing and acquiring fantastic art, building relationships, and enjoying a nice meal.
TAS: Are there any artistic and programming challenges you are looking forward to tackling this year?
KM: I always want to encourage risk. I think that’s a big part of the reason why New York is the global art world capital. I’ve been really inspired and energized visiting galleries around the city lately. Over the past couple of months, I’ve seen some of the best exhibitions that New York has had in a while.
The challenge with fairs is that the presentations tend to be more conservative than they might be inside a gallery. I understand all the reasons why, and I empathize with galleries given the challenges of our time. That said, I also know that when exhibitors present bold presentations, that risk tends to pay off. Not just for that specific artist or program, but for the entire fair. So, we work to ensure that the fair is a strong platform that allows for risky, forward-thinking presentations.
We work to ensure that the fair is a strong platform that allows for risky and forward-thinking presentations. —Kyla McMillan
TAS: What inspires you?
KM: Being at the helm of a fair is a privilege. My job is to connect collectors, curators, artists, and gallerists. I expected this part of my role, and I knew that I’d love it, but there is another side to this work that has become a real source of inspiration for me: Given the size and scope of The Armory Show I have an aerial view of what is happening in this industry at large.
The fair is able to identify trends in our exhibitors, and it’s our job to not just create a narrative around what’s happening but to push the conversation forward. This is really exciting and vital work. We make decisions about an experience that will be shared by 60,000 people every year. The Armory Show is a foundation for incredible opportunity, and I’m motivated by that impact.
TAS: How do you see The Armory Show responding to a changing global art scene and economy?
KM: The Armory Show is one of the longest-running fairs in the country, so evolution and adaptability are ingrained in our identity. I believe that our fair is foundational, and that means we can be a support and a platform for galleries as they deal with the ebbs and flows of the market. The conditions around the art world are ever evolving, but I want the fair to continue to be relied on for the opportunity we provide our exhibitors to have unparalleled reach.