Art & Design Events San Francisco 2019

Up from #2
Thanks to an increasing number of socialites, supermodels, and pop stars posting their time in Black Rock City on social media—Paris Hilton, Karlie Kloss, and Katy Perry to name a few—Burning Man’s large-scale artwork and mutant vehicles have made their way into the collective pop culture consciousness. But what Instastories and Snapchat can’t capture is the performance art nature of the festival: more than 70,000 people participating in a living, working community guided by 10 shared principles, including radical self-reliance and non-commercialization. The ultimate D.I.Y. event, Burning Man not only displays art: It is art. Next: August 25-September 2, 2019

It’s a science fair and an art show, all in one. More than 500 makers dazzled Bay Area tech and design enthusiasts at this three-day event at the San Mateo County Event Center. Imagine robots, biohacking, sustainable farming, and diesel-turned-electric art cars coexisting with traditional pursuits like soldering and bookbinding. Maker Faire fosters creativity with workshops and lectures that inspire the next generation of makers. For example, the 2019 fair included a dedicated 3-D printing zone, where kids learned how to dream and build their own designs using CAD software, and adults learned about 3-D printed construction for housing on Earth and Mars. Maker Media announced in June that it was ceasing operations, but founder and C.E.O. Dale Dougherty is hopeful that Maker Faire can continue in the future, possibly as a nonprofit organization.

Up from #4
It’s an art show, a design expo, and an endless source of inspiration. In 2019, FOG Design & Art assembled 53 international galleries for its sixth run in the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. More than 12,000 visitors passed through the event to take in art, attend design lectures, and grab a bite at pop-up versions of local restaurants Jane and A16. While it may be small compared to a behemoth like Art Basel, the event still attracts top-tier galleries and artists from around the world. The latest edition even included multiple works from Ai Weiwei. Next: January 16-19, 2020

The San Francisco Fall Show, formerly known as the San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show, has brought art and antiques collectors together since 1981. The show features more than 50 dealers from around the world, selling fine and decorative arts representing a variety of styles and periods. Paintings, furniture, precious metals, ceramics, jewelry, rugs, works on paper, books, ethnographic art, and objets d’art—it’s all available at the show and vetted for authenticity. Last year, more than 7,000 people attended the four-day event. The opening-night gala is also the major fund-raiser for Enterprise for Youth, a nonprofit that empowers young people to prepare for and discover career opportunities. Next: October 3-6, 2019

Up from #8
When you take nearly 50 of the West Coast’s best designers and set them loose in one of the city’s most exclusive addresses, home decor dreams come true. For the 42nd annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, top interior and landscape designers had free rein to reimagine 33 spaces in an 18,000-square-foot mansion known as “Le Petit Trianon.” More than 15,000 visitors toured the Presidio Heights home to see the results during the monthlong showcase, generating more than $500,000 for San Francisco University High School’s Financial Aid Program. Next: April 25-May 25, 2020

It’s hard to improve upon the masterpieces housed in the de Young Museum, but the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums adds extra magic to the galleries each spring with Bouquets to Art. The weeklong event challenges floral designers around the Bay Area to create arrangements that complement permanent works in the museum’s collection. Designers refresh the flowers throughout the week to keep their work photo-ready, but the museum also schedules photo-free hours for guests who want to enjoy the flowers in peace. The event, which is one of the most popular at the Fine Arts Museums, celebrated its 35th year in 2019. Next: Spring 2020

Craft fairs give shoppers a chance to connect with makers, adding a personal touch to the retail cycle. Renegade Craft Fair, a two-day, curated pop-up shopping experience at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, takes that concept to the extreme by gathering hundreds of makers from near and far for a two-day bazaar. (More than 260 vendors and 20,000 shoppers stopped by the Spring 2019 show.) Founder Susannah Daly describes the event as "an inspiring and memorable weekend” with “something for everyone, from jewelry and clothing to housewares and self-care products.” Go for the shopping; stay for the people watching. Next: July 13-14 and November 16-17, 2019

Don’t let the name fool you: West Coast Craft doesn’t exclude participants based on their geographic location. Instead, the name embodies an ethos more than a set of coordinates. Organizers for this juried show consider makers’ technique, skill level, use of material, branding, website design, and price point before bringing them into the fold. Organizers also look for ethical practices in every stage of the design and production and gravitate toward work that blurs the lines between fine art and craft and traditional and modern. As part of its effort to foster talent and diversity in the craft scene, a scholarship program awards four booths to emerging designers and artists who have never shown at a major craft and design show, including two spots reserved for people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Next: November 23-24, 2019

New to the list
Now in its 14th year, San Francisco Design Week hosts approximately 45,000 attendees for more than 350 exhibitions and conversations about how design shapes the world through architecture, fashion, product design, digital services, and more. Dawn Zidonis, the event’s executive director, describes the week of panels and conversations as “a platform whereby world problems are explored, examining how designers play a crucial role in defining our future, and how their output affects the lives of billions of people globally.” Next: June 2020

San Francisco is one of four cities where the American Craft Council hosts its juried marketplaces. Now in its 45th year in the Bay Area, the show boasts more than 200 artisans selected by the council. “Craftsmanship is always the constant at an A.C.C. show, and this year is no exception. It’s a highly competitive show and the artists that do get accepted always feel great pride being part of the A.C.C. community,” says executive director Sarah Schultz. This is one of the few craft shows in the city that charges admission, but it’s free for the council’s members. The 2019 show will once again be held at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. Next: August 2-4, 2019