Certain expectations come with the title of a “destination art fair.” The air must be crisp. The background: cinematic. Beyond the booths, there should be enough festivities to justify the journey itself: conversations with insiders, collector home tours, perhaps even a cold plunge before cocktail hour. Three years in, the Aspen Art Fair has perfected the balance.
Housed at the mountain enclave’s Hotel Jerome, the fair will meld rustic charm with an unmistakable sense of occasion from July 29–Aug. 1. CULTURED sat down with the fair’s new director, Kelly Cornell, and co-founder Bob Chase to discuss the fair’s evolving vision, thinking beyond the booth, and punching above their weight.
Kelly, can you speak a little bit about how you came aboard the Aspen Art Fair and what initially drew you to the project?
Kelly Cornell: I had been following the Aspen Art Fair for a few years and was genuinely excited when the opportunity to get involved presented itself. There’s something incredibly compelling about the fair’s setting—the historic Hotel Jerome paired with the natural beauty of Aspen’s mountain landscape creates a truly unique environment for experiencing art. What also drew me in was the strong connection between Texas and Colorado. Given my long experience at the Dallas Art Fair, it felt like a natural extension, bringing together a community of collectors and patrons that share art and cultural connections. Altogether, it made the Aspen Art Fair feel like a very organic and exciting opportunity.
Bob, what initially drew you and the team to Kelly and her work?
Bob Chase: I have long admired what Kelly has done in Dallas and I am not alone in that regard. Her reputation is impeccable. When I reached out to some galleries to get feedback on the idea, it was met with overwhelming enthusiasm. The additional intangible with Kelly was her deep connection to the Dallas collector scene, many of whom spend time in Aspen. There has long been a connection between these two places, and we now get to amplify that synergy in a new and engaging way.
Kelly, what highlights in the fair’s programming are you most excited about this year?
Cornell: I’m especially excited about our film programming this year, including a screening of Art’s Power to Change: All The Empty Rooms, presented in partnership with Aspen Film, followed by a panel discussion. The film is incredibly moving and speaks to the power of storytelling and art to process collective grief and create meaningful dialogue. Beyond that, we’re continuing to build out a dynamic program that brings together visual art and cultural conversations in a way that feels deeply connected to Aspen and its creative community.
Bob, how have you prioritized working with the city’s preexisting art infrastructure when building the fair? What gaps did you see, and how have you worked to fill them?
Chase: The institutions in this town are second to none and validate that Aspen punches far above its weight. Yet many people still have not engaged with these organizations. I believed that if we could create a demystifying and intimate way to access internationally renowned artists and galleries, and partner with our institutions in the process, we could not only create a world-class experience for our community but also connect more people to the cultural heartbeat of this town.
Many of my friends who have important galleries elsewhere in the world have collectors in Aspen and would love to connect with them on this same intimate level. I was interested in a platform where I could facilitate that for them but do so in a way that was highly additive to our community. I am not interested in outsiders looking to exploit our community, but rather those artists and galleries interested in exploring meaningful connections and making long-term cultural contributions. Nearly everyone who has done the fair thus far wants to come back, so this long-term notion is really taking hold.
You’ve offered a wide variety of programming beyond a simple art fair, including tours of collectors’ homes, film screenings, tastings, and cold plunges. What can attendees expect this time around?
Chase: Aspen is so much more than meets the eye. It is both high culture and “of the land.” I find the best way to fully experience this is to bring hikes and river plunges into our VIP program together with the home tours and film screenings so people get to experience all aspects. The reality is people aren’t looking for another art fair, they are looking for how to connect with art in new, unexpected, and meaningful ways.
What does it mean to you to be a destination art fair? What are the benefits for attendees or galleries participating in the Aspen Art Fair?
Cornell: Being a destination art fair means creating an experience that extends far beyond the fair itself. In Aspen, you’re not just attending an art event—you’re stepping into a fully immersive environment where culture, collecting, and the natural landscape come together in a truly unique way. The Aspen Art Fair offers a thoughtfully curated itinerary, allowing you to engage with exceptional work, connect with galleries and collectors, and still experience the beauty and rhythm of Aspen—all within a single day.
Central to that experience is the setting. The fair takes place at the iconic Hotel Jerome, one of Aspen’s most storied and beloved properties. Its scale and character create a sense of intimacy and exclusivity that is rare in the art fair world. Rather than navigating a vast convention center, guests move through a series of elegant, human-scaled spaces—both booth installations and curated hotel rooms—that encourage conversation, discovery, and deeper engagement with the work.
For attendees, it creates a more personal, memorable, and elevated experience. For galleries, it offers the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with collectors in an environment that feels both relaxed and highly curated. It’s this combination of setting, access, and atmosphere that defines Aspen as a true destination—one where the experience of art is inseparable from the place itself.
More of our favorite stories from CULTURED
How Ina Garten, Everyone’s Favorite TV Chef, Learned to Trust Her Appetite
How ‘The Odyssey’ Opening Weekend Birthed Its Own Ticket Resale Black Market
What Do Basketball Stars Talk About in the Locker Room? Fine Art, According to Kevin Love
We Asked 18 Food Insiders Where (and What) to Eat in New York This Summer
Jarrett Earnest on How Lovers Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore Redefined Collaborative Artmaking
Sign up for our newsletter here to get these stories direct to your inbox.
in your life?
