Q&A with Aryana Khan, Head of Frieze 91
Frieze 91, a members' programme that offers year-round access to a world of cultural events, is great for anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of art as well as nurture their own growing collection.
To gain an insider's perspective on this initiative, we spoke to the Head of Frieze 91, Aryana Khan, who shared her main challenges running the programme, what members can expect in the upcoming months, and their plans for expansion in the future.
Aryana Khan © Flo HusseiniWhat attracted you to join Frieze 91 and what do you love about leading this programme? What does your job entail?
Frieze 91 is a members' programme that provides access to year-round cultural events. I was thrilled to join the team to expand the offering — looking for ways to engage those newer to the art world, while also thinking creatively about how we can work with and support artists year round.
My day-to-day, throughout the year, consists of reaching out to our network — be it galleries, museums and non-profits, or artists themselves — to create special programming and dedicated opportunities for our members. We keep our eyes on the whole art world to ensure Frieze 91 is always among the first with the most exciting artists and conversations today. The initiative brings together everything I love about the arts ecosystem: artists, art lovers and art institutions. It’s a real privilege to build this global community!
Photo 1 - Addis Fine Art, Frieze London 2022; Photo 2 - Sprüth Magers, Frieze London 2022. Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park, London. © Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Frieze and Linda Nylind
What is the main challenge running Frieze 91? How did you bring an innovative approach to leading this programme?
There’s no template for the way we shape our programme — instead, our aim is to respond to an ever-evolving art world. Our membership is truly global, spanning all four of Frieze’s host cities — London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul and therefore it’s important we stay up to date with all the latest developments in each of those centres. Our approach is to draw strength from working across four distinct cultural landscapes, and our program reflects an understanding of each city and how local dialogues are a part of the global arts community. We also work closely with our committee, an international group of leaders from diverse fields, each with a proven track record of supporting artists and global cultural ecosystems to ensure our network has access to those in the know. The committee includes Maro Itoje, Sophie Ashby, Edeline Lee, JulianKnxx and Suhair Khan, to name a few.
Frieze London 2022. © Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Frieze and Linda Nylind
Who are your members and why do they join your programme?
Our members join for a comprehensive experience of the arts, to learn more about emerging talents alongside the most recognised artists of today and masters of the past. Frieze 91 gives our members a more nuanced understanding of the industry and often enables their first step into the world of collecting art.