NEW YORK, NY.- New York Gallery Week announced its second annual event, scheduled from Friday, May 6 to Sunday, May 8, 2011.

Following 2010’s highly successful kick-off year, this year’s NYGW has expanded with the participation of 60 contemporary art galleries and not-for-profit spaces. And once again, complementing the 60 solo exhibitions will be scores of free events and programs, such as guided gallery tours by artists, curators, art historians; panel discussion; film screenings; performances; special artist receptions; book signings; and more.

This year’s NYGW will benefit the Whitney Museum. In conjunction with NYGW, members of the museum’s curatorial staff will participate in select programs throughout the weekend; and the weekend will culminate with NYGW’s own gala (Saturday, May 7) held at the Museum.

Like 2010, New York Gallery Week is actually a long weekend where galleries are open with extended hours. The 60 galleries and not-for-profit spaces span Chelsea, SoHo, the Lower East Side/Bowery, West Village, the Upper East Side, and 57th Street.

Additional promotional support is being given by The Exhibitionist (theexhibitionist-ny.com), a recently launched iPhone app which will map out the gallery locations, include condensed exhibition write-ups, and highlight the special events.

New York Gallery Week seeks to reinforce the relationship between its participants and non-for-profit exhibition spaces. The goal of NYGW is to strengthen the synergy between artists, galleries and public institutions and to focus public attention on the city’s long-standing exceptional gallery programming.