Commission recommends $75,000 to Scottsdale Art Week after inaugural fair drew 14,000 attendees
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Summary
Scottsdale Art Week founders told the Tourism Development Commission their inaugural March fair drew more than 14,000 attendees and 106 galleries from multiple countries; the commission voted to recommend $75,000 in bed‑tax funding for year two.
The Tourism Development Commission recommended a $75,000 bed‑tax grant on Sept. 16 to Scottsdale Art Week, which founders said drew more than 14,000 attendees and 106 exhibiting galleries to WestWorld in March 2025. Trey Brennan, cofounder and managing partner, and Amy Gause, director of the fair, presented year‑one results and a request for funding to support a larger second edition in March 2026. “We launched in March 2025, and we were a huge success by all of the measures we set for ourselves,” Gause said during the presentation. Presenters said 85 of the 106 exhibiting galleries were from outside Arizona and that the fair worked to attract collectors and generate sales; organizers estimated several thousand hotel room nights attributable to exhibitors and out‑of‑state attendees. Sponsors included Scottsdale Ferrari, Gila River and UBS; organizers also reported sponsorship commitments such as a Hall‑level partner and a three‑year auction partnership with Heritage Auctions. A motion to fund Scottsdale Art Week at the full $75,000 request was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final approval and contract negotiation. Organizers said they have dates secured at WestWorld through 2029.
