CHICAGO, IL.- SOFA CHICAGO, the City of Chicago’s longest-running and most popular art fair returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall November 3-6, with nearly 80 national and international galleries displaying the very best in Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art and Design. Last year, over 36,000 people attended SOFA CHICAGO, with major works exhibited by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Hunt Slonem, Tip Toland, John Chamberlain, Lino Tagliapietra, Sheila Hicks, Jonathan Boyd, and more.

The 23rd edition of SOFA CHICAGO will once again showcase the best of the best, with more than 80 prestigious galleries with works by both emerging and established artists in ceramics, wood, glass, fiber, jewelry, metal, design, painting, photography and works on paper. Featured galleries include: Alida Anderson Art Projects (Potomac, MD); browngrotta arts (Wilton CT); Charon Kransen Arts (New York); Donna Schneier Fine Art (New York + Palm Beach); Duane Reed Gallery (St. Louis); Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h (Montreal); Habatat Galleries (Royal Oak); Hawk Galleries (Columbus); Hedone Gallery (Leonia); Heller Gallery (New York); Kirra Galleries (Melbourne); Maurine Littleton (Washington DC); projects+ gallery (St. Louis); Richard Norton Gallery (Chicago); Schantz Galleries (Stockbridge); Sokyo Gallery (Kyoto); TAI Modern (Santa Fe); ten|Contemporary (Grass Valley CA); Traver Gallery (Seattle); Wexler Gallery (Philadelphia), and more.

SOFA CHICAGO will kick-off with an Opening Night Preview on Thursday, November 3 – an evening that has become the “must-attend” event of the season in the City of Chicago, offering the public, collectors and the art and design community a first look at this year’s Fair. The Opening Night Preview will take place from 5-9pm with 5-7pm VIP Preview open to VIP ticket holders only; followed by a Public Preview from 7-9pm. Tickets for the Opening Night Preview are available by visiting, www.sofaexpo.com or at the door.

SOFA CHICAGO 2016 will also feature special exhibits, compelling lectures, and demonstration areas that continue to thrill attendees and collectors, including:

CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS HOT GLASS ROADSHOW
The Corning Museum of Glass will once again entertain and amaze attendees with their Hot Glass Roadshow, which brings a live glassmaking experience direct to the SOFA show floor. Fair-goers will have the opportunity to see first-hand the beauty and artistry of glassblowing. The Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, NY) maintains the world’s finest collection of art and historical glass.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS AT SOFA CHICAGO
The Special Exhibits at SOFA have become a beloved and anticipated feature of the Fair with exciting museum-style presentations organized by renowned museums and international art organizations including DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS), Collectors of Wood Art, the Glass Art Society, and Ball State University.

CONNECT DESIGN COMPETITION, sponsored in part by Chubb Personal Risk Services and the Corning Museum of Glass
Six of the top design university programs in the country will gather to create innovative seating and lighting environments where attendees can relax and “connect” during the Fair. CONNECT offers design students the opportunity to conceptualize, build and exhibit their designs to an international audience at SOFA CHICAGO. Now in its fifth year, the winner of this design competition will be chosen by a jury of art and design experts, with the winning school being awarded a cash prize. Participating schools will be announced this summer.

SOFA CHICAGO LECTURE SERIES
The very best artists, critics, curators, designers and collector will once again present at the SOFA CHICAGO Lecture Series, which features engaging presentations on a variety of topics beginning on Friday during the Fair. Speakers will share their insights into current trends in art and design, and lectures include artists speaking about their own bodies of work to panel discussions addressing larger themes. The Lecture Series is included with general admission.

vSOFA SELECTS
SOFA Selects returns with favorite Fair pieces chosen by noted designers, curators, and critics. SOFA Selects brings the voice of these noted tastemakers directly to the SOFA CHICAGO audience, allowing visitors to understand why particular pieces are of note by these masters in their fields. SOFA Selects participants will be announced in the coming weeks.