The contemporary art jewelry community has descended upon New York City for the much-anticipated New York City Jewelry Week 2026 (NYCJW26), with the Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) and its diverse network of members playing a pivotal, highly visible role across the week’s extensive programming. As a premier global celebration of the craft, NYCJW26 features an expansive lineup of exhibitions, thought-provoking panel discussions, artist walkthroughs, intimate gallery crawls, and celebratory receptions, heavily anchored by AJF contributors, affiliated organizations, and prominent makers.
For arts enthusiasts, collectors, and practitioners following the vibrant world of contemporary adornment, the week offers a rare concentration of events that explore both the historical roots of the medium and its rapidly evolving future. AJF has established a strong institutional presence for the festivities, hosting dedicated organizational events alongside a massive slate of member-led presentations scattered across the city’s boroughs, with The Jewelry Library serving as a central hub for discourse and connection.
AJF-Hosted Events and Central Hub Conversations
Art Jewelry Forum has organized several cornerstone events designed to foster community, debate, and reflection among members and the public alike. Among the highlights is the marquee panel discussion titled "Wear Next? The Many Lives of Art Jewelry," which invites leading voices in the field to examine the shifting trajectories, cultural relevance, and enduring power of contemporary pieces. To balance the rigorous academic and critical discourse, AJF has also scheduled informal community gatherings, including the "Cocktails, Queries, & Karats" happy hour and the exclusive AJF Member Celebration Dinner, providing vital networking spaces for international and domestic professionals.
Complementing these organizational programs, The Jewelry Library operates as the beating heart of NYCJW26 activities, hosting a dense schedule of author readings, interactive presentations, and milestone exhibitions. Among these is Doris Chou-Durfee’s solo exhibition, "Does This Make Sense?", which investigates conceptual boundaries through meticulous craft. The programming at The Jewelry Library also features the exhibition walkthrough and companion party for Chou-Durfee’s work, ensuring audiences can engage directly with the artist’s creative process.
Further enriching the hub’s schedule are intellectually stimulating sessions such as "The Power of Two: Collaboration in Contemporary Jewelry," which unpacks the dynamics of collaborative making, and a visual presentation dedicated to "Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith," illuminating the legacy of the mid-century modernist master. Literary and conversational events further punctuate the week, including a reading by Anna Rasche from The Cursed Diamond and an engaging dialogue pairing Jerry with Steven, alongside recurring sessions of the "Wear Next?" panel discussion and happy hour mixers.
A Network of Creative Leaders, Educators, and Institutions
Beyond AJF’s direct curation, the sheer breadth of NYCJW26 is propelled by individual AJF members, institutions, and collaborative collectives who are hosting, organizing, or being featured in exhibitions across the city. This widespread participation underscores the deep integration of AJF’s community within the broader academic and gallery ecosystems of contemporary jewelry.
Educational institutions and their leadership are making significant waves this season. The Cranbrook Academy of Art community—represented prominently by Head of Metalsmithing Iris Eichenberg, alongside faculty and alumni including Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Jimena Ríos, Lucrecia Bertelli, and Sergio Aziza—is heavily involved in multiple forums. Cranbrook’s presence spans conversations like "Storytelling, Nurturing the Field" and "Jewelry in Community: Cranbrook + Eloi," as well as the inventive "Hold Your Pants Up: Belt Buckle Show" hosted at the Pratt Institute Steuben Gallery.
Pratt Institute itself stands as a massive anchor for NYCJW26, serving as a venue and co-organizer for an impressive roster of showcases. Pratt’s extensive lineup includes open studios, institutional exhibitions such as the "Library Adorned: Cuff Exhibition," "Preoccupations," "Handle with Care," and the University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art collaboration, as well as the RIT student and alumni exhibition "Continuum." Pratt is also hosting the panel discussion "Queer Craft as Restoration" alongside the exhibition [queerphoria] volume 6: restoration, and an artist talk by Amir Sheikhvand titled "Fire, Color + Memory."
Galleries, Exhibitions, and Retrospectives
Commercial and independent galleries are marking major milestones during the festival. Gallery Loupe is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special exhibition and shopping event titled "In Celebration: 20 Years of Gallery Loupe," accompanied by high-profile discussions such as Steven KP and Keith Lewis in conversation, "Coffee & Color with Rachelle Thiewes," and a deep dive into "Coreen Simpson: The Black Cameo Legend."
Similarly, Brooklyn Metal Works—represented by Brian Weissman, Erin Daly, and their collaborators—is presenting the exhibition "Anonymous Brooklyn," complemented by a viewing party, stone-set ring jewelry-making demonstrations, and integration into the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) gallery crawl led by Executive Director Brienne Rosner and supported by artist Adriane Dalton.
Other notable group and solo exhibitions dotting the map include the perennial favorite "Earrings Galore" at Heidi Lowe Gallery, featuring works by makers such as Kerianne Quick, Louise Perrone, Raïssa Bump, Sharon Massey, and Doris Chou-Durfee. The American Jewelry Design Council (AJDC) is presenting "Evolution of A Jewel: AJDC In Retrospect" alongside a dedicated panel discussion featuring Barbara Heinrich. Meanwhile, international perspectives are highlighted through projects like "Crown Jewels as a Metaphor," featuring Annette Dam, Felieke van der Leest, Sofia Björkman, and Tamara Marbl Joka; Elena Karpilova’s "Minsk to Lisbon: Finding a Sense of Home"; Amanda Paige’s international jewelry exhibition "Fluid Beauties"; and Angela Caldwell’s exploration of extremes in minimalism and maximalism.
Master jeweler Jamie Bennett is receiving extensive spotlight attention through his solo exhibition "Thinking in Color," an artist talk titled "Coloring Outside the Lines," the "Bubbles & Bennett" reception, and his participation in the craft symposium "10,000 Hours or What Drives Craft?" alongside Marion Delarue and NYC Jewelry Week founder Bella Neyman. Additional institutional highlights feature Tanya Crane’s "UrbanSparkle" exhibition at UrbanGlass, Lisa M. Berman and the Wearable Art Museum’s "Be a Catalyst for Conversation" series, Jill Herlands’ "Material Matters," and Sarah Retallick’s preview reception for the collection of Ed Wiener via Rago x Wright.
As New York City Jewelry Week 2026 unfolds across its numerous venues, studios, and galleries, the dense web of programming organized by AJF and its members highlights a thriving, interconnected community dedicated to pushing the conceptual, material, and cultural boundaries of adornment.
