The contemporary art jewelry community is descending upon New York City in full force as New York City Jewelry Week (NYCJW) 2026 gets underway. Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) members are playing prominent roles throughout the festival, serving as hosts, organizers, curators, panel speakers, and participating artists. From dynamic exhibitions and gallery crawls to intimate book signings, panel discussions, and celebratory dinners, the roster highlights the vast and diverse contributions of AJF members to the global dialogue surrounding art, craft, and adornment.
As a central platform for the field, AJF is hosting several marquee events designed to bring the community together for critical discourse and social engagement. Among them is the panel discussion titled "Wear Next? The Many Lives of Art Jewelry," which invites thinkers, makers, and enthusiasts to explore the evolving trajectory, sustainability, and future utility of contemporary jewelry objects. In addition to intellectual exchanges, AJF is fostering camaraderie through social gatherings such as the "Cocktails, Queries, & Karats" happy hour, co-hosted alongside RJM, and the highly anticipated AJF Member Celebration Dinner, providing a dedicated space for international artists, collectors, and scholars to connect during the bustling festival week.
Throughout the city, institutions and alternative spaces are transforming into dynamic hubs for craft and culture. The Jewelry Library stands out as a primary epicenter for the week’s programming, hosting an expansive schedule of conversations, panels, author readings, and celebratory receptions. Highlights at the venue include the solo exhibition by Doris Chou-Durfee titled "Does This Make Sense?," accompanied by a dedicated gallery walk-through led by the artist and a celebratory reception. The Jewelry Library is also staging compelling panel discussions, including "The Power of Two: Collaboration in Contemporary Jewelry," and a deep-dive visual presentation titled "Bodyworks: The Jewelry of Art Smith," presented by Toni Greenbaum. Literary events further enrich the space, featuring a reading by Anna Rasche from her book "The Cursed Diamond" and a special in-depth conversation between Jerry and Steven.
Galleries and independent showcases across the five boroughs are featuring prominent AJF members and their collaborators. Ornamentum is welcoming collectors and enthusiasts with an official opening reception followed by its signature Jewelry Salon exhibition, showcasing cutting-edge international works. Among the featured makers participating in the gallery’s showcase are Veronika Fabian and Aaron Decker. Similarly, Gallery Loupe is celebrating its landmark 20th anniversary with a special retrospective exhibition and shop titled "In Celebration: 20 Years of Gallery Loupe," complemented by an engaging lineup of talks and discussions, including a conversation between Steven KP and Keith Lewis, a morning discussion titled "Coffee & Color" with Rachelle Thiewes, and a tribute to Coreen Simpson focusing on the legend of the Black Cameo, alongside a public reception.
Educational institutions and student bodies are also taking center stage during NYCJW 2026. The Cranbrook Academy of Art and its community are heavily represented through multiple platforms, including a collaborative conversation titled "Storytelling, Nurturing the Field" featuring participants such as Adriane Dalton and Jimena Ríos, alongside Iris Eichenberg, head of metalsmithing. Cranbrook is also teaming up with Eloi for a community-focused talk, and presenting the witty and inventive "Hold Your Pants Up: Belt Buckle Show" at the Pratt Institute Steuben Gallery. Pratt Institute itself serves as a massive anchor for the festival, hosting an extensive series of student and alumni showcases, open studios, and critical panels. Among the exhibitions hosted across Pratt’s spaces are "Achievement Unlocked," "Get Lucked," "Preoccupations," "Handle with Care," "meX" curated by Lorena Lazard and her students, and the [queerphoria] volume 6 exhibition organized by Queer Metalsmiths exploring craft as restoration.
The breadth of curation during the week extends to specialized exhibitions and institutional presentations. At Urban Glass, Tanya Crane’s "UrbanSparkle" exhibition and its accompanying opening reception highlight the intersection of glass and jewelry materials. Meanwhile, the Heidi Lowe Gallery is drawing crowds with its perennial favorite, "Earrings Galore," featuring works by numerous contemporary makers including Doris Chou-Durfee, Kerianne Quick, Louise Perrone, Raïssa Bump, and Sharon Massey. Additional notable exhibitions include "Crown Jewels as a Metaphor," presented with the participation of Charon Kransen Arts, Annette Dam, Biba Schutz, Felieke van der Leest, Michele Cottler Fox, Sofia Björkman, and Tamara Marbl Joka, offering poetic reflections on power and adornment.
Brooklyn Metal Works is contributing significantly to the Brooklyn contingent of the festival with "Anonymous Brooklyn," an exhibition accompanied by a viewing party, live jewelry-making demonstrations focusing on stone-set rings, and inclusion on the official Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) gallery crawl route led by Executive Director Brienne Rosner. Concurrently, other prominent historical and cultural surveys are taking place, such as the preview reception for "The Collection of Ed Wiener" presented by Sarah Retallick at Rago x Wright, and the special presentations and book signings celebrating legendary makers, including Helen Drutt and Barbara Paris Gifford discussing "Among Friends" at the Museum of Arts and Design.
With panels addressing everything from technical mastery to historical preservation—such as Bella Neyman’s sessions on craft drivers and craftsmanship, and Cindi Strauss’s lecture on Bernhard Schobinger—NYCJW 2026 offers an unprecedented view into the pulse of modern and contemporary adornment. AJF members wishing to ensure their events are captured in ongoing communications can submit details via the organization’s member portal, while non-members are encouraged to join to secure placement in upcoming newsletters and website directories.
