Cofounders of Neighbors on Rethinking Art Fair Format

Editor’s note: This story is part of Newsmakers, a new art news We interview influential people making a difference in the arts world.

This spring, Chicago’s art scene is adding a new, more intimate element. Coinciding with Expo Chicago, a new satellite exhibit called Neighbors will debut at the historic Gold Coast condominium just a stone’s throw from Navy Pier. Founded by Texas collector Mirka Serrato and British dealer Jonny Tanna, founder of London’s Harlesden High Street gallery, Neighbors will take place from April 8 to 12 and will bring together a small, carefully curated group of galleries from cities including London, New York, Chicago and Dallas.

Serrato lived in the apartment for nearly three years before moving to Texas and wanted to reimagine its unique interior as a space for contemporary art. Serrato had her business partner after a chance meeting at Art Basel in Switzerland last year with Tanna, co-founder of London’s Minor Attractions art fair. The pair worked tirelessly to make the new show a reality.

With just four rooms and no traditional booths, Neighbors aims to provide a slower, more measured alternative to the sprawling trade show format. art news spoke with Serrato and Tana about how they plan to rethink the art fair format.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.

art news: Neighbors will launch the same week as Expo Chicago. It seemed like a good time for the crowd. But what gaps in the ecosystem do you want to fill?

Milka Serrato: Most shows, even some of the big ones, don’t have a strictly curated lineup. Galleries often get involved to cover costs, rather than considering how their work interacts or creates meaningful dialogue. For Neighbors, we want to change that. We limit the number of participants and focus on quality over quantity. This is not a criticism of the Expo or other expositions, which have different purposes, but we recognize the disparity in Chicago. There aren’t really satellite fairs that foster real dialogue between artists, galleries and collectors. Chicago has a strong arts scene and we feel it deserves this level of rigor and care.

Jonny Tanner: The excitement is about the site itself: a historic, domestic-scale home. It enables galleries to reimagine the way their works exist in space. Exhibitors are not thinking about the general exhibition hall, but how a piece fits into a room, a corner or a specific architectural feature. It also creates a form of cross-pollination. We bring in galleries and collectors from London, Dallas, Los Angeles, etc., so different communities are learning from each other. The name Neighbors really says that – bringing people together to see what each has to offer.

How do you avoid some of the pitfalls that large art fairs face, especially the pressure to sell that small fairs face?

Serrato: We have tried to take proactive action. Our curatorial process is rigorous and we have been focusing on the gallery’s planning for months, focusing on the artists they support and how they present their work in an equitable context. And then we invite them based on that, rather than asking them to create something completely new. This reduces the stress that often comes with attending a trade show for the first time. There’s no last-minute pressure to impress. The works are authentic to each gallery’s practice and the dialogue between them is intentional.

Tana: Another problem with major art fairs is that a gallery’s reputation doesn’t always match what’s actually on display. This can be disappointing. We took a more insightful approach. We are not filling the space to make money, we would rather have fewer galleries that are disciplined and in dialogue with each other. This is something I’ve learned from attending dozens of trade shows. Less can indeed be more.

The venue is extraordinary. This is not a typical exhibition hall. How does this impact the presentation and experience of art?

Serrato: The scenery is an important part of the show’s character. This is a historic home, so the art exists within a story and a community rather than a neutral, interchangeable space. I lived there myself and understand its architecture and its relationship to the city. It also creates a more intimate experience. You can walk through the entire fair in just a few rooms in a very short time, which allows for a more meaningful exchange between collectors and galleries. No stress of navigating a large convention center.

Tana: It encourages experimentation. Galleries can play with installation, scale and narrative in ways not possible with a standard booth. In a way, it goes back to an old model of collecting, where people encountered art in private homes before it entered institutions. We combine this with the needs of the contemporary art world – visibility, interactivity and a sense of discovery. When it works, it creates an unforgettable experience for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Joni, you have organized shows in non-traditional spaces before. How did that experience impact your Neighbors program?

Tana: Working in places like hotels or railway arches can teach you to think creatively about limitations. There are always practical challenges, installation limitations, unusual layouts, but the key lesson is that the exhibitor experience comes first. Even if sales are not as strong as expected, exhibitors will come back if they feel supported and well-received. That’s the metric we care about: making sure the experience lives up to expectations, whether it’s media coverage, collector engagement, or curator visits. It’s also about building trust. Galleries need to know that their work will be thoughtfully displayed, even in non-traditional settings.

What does success look like for the first edition?

Serrato: First and foremost we want the show to run smoothly, be well planned, have high quality work and be cohesive throughout. This is the bottom line. Beyond that, success means everyone leaves happy: exhibitors feel supported, collectors feel involved and visitors feel inspired. For the first edition, this is the most important thing.

Tana: Then it became about building the network. We didn’t want to tie it to a single venue, we wanted to create something that could develop and grow while keeping its core principles intact. If we build trust with exhibitors and collectors, they will follow us. The true measure of success is when people ask, “When are we doing this again?” That’s when you know it works.