20 Apps To Help You Tackle Armory Week

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Art Discovery 

SeeSaw — Real-time Gallery Shows in Your Area

“SeeSaw’s brilliance lies in its simplicity. You can easily find the shows you want to see and plot them on a map as you wind through the streets of Chelsea or the Lower East Side. Replace scribbled, handwritten notes with an intuitive, interactive map that lets you view new openings and customize your route. Navigate galleries in New York with ease, and try it out in L.A. and Berlin.”

Get SeeSaw: iOS App Store

NY Art Beat — Gallery Openings & Shows

“If you prefer straightforward and easy-to-navigate lists over a map-based approach, NY Art Beat provides you with street-by-street, area-by-area, and gallery-by-gallery lists of art openings and shows, along with short reviews. The app’s data is sorted by media, schedules, and location, as well as categories like ‘closing soon,’ ‘most popular,’ ‘open late,’ and ‘free.’”

Get NY Art Beat: iOS App Store | Google Play

UBS Planet Art — online Art Aggregator

“The Planet Art app, the brainchild of UBS Planet Art, gathers top art stories from sources worldwide and places them at your fingertips. The app lets you explore previous articles or discover trending topics, destinations, and news—all in one place. Artsy partnered with Planet Art on 2015: The Year In Art.’”

Get UBS Planet Art: iOS App Store

Artsy for IOs — learn about artists and connect with galleries

“Has a work caught your eye at the Armory show or one of the satellite fairs? Never heard of the artist? Don’t be shy, ask the gallery specialist at the booth. Alternatively, open the Artsy iPhone app and search by artist name. Read their bio, see past exhibitions, and follow the artist to receive notifications about new works and upcoming shows. Still thinking about them a week later? Artsy lets you connect with the gallery representing the artist after the fair.”

Get the Artsy app: iOS App Store

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Getting To and From the Fairs 

Way2Ride or Arro — Taxi Apps

“Apps like Uber and Lyft are indispensable these days, but when surge pricing spikes, Way2Go and Arro are great alternatives. Both apps let you virtually hail a yellow cab in NYC. Way2Ride and Arro combine the ease of paying from your phone with the convenience and price of a yellow taxi—simply tap and let a cab come to you.”

Get Way2Ride: iOS App Store | Google Play

Get Arro: iOS App Store | Google Play

Dark Sky — Real-Time Rain & Snow Alerts 

“Those who were wielding umbrellas at last year’s blizzard-white Armory vernissage may have already downloaded the Dark Sky weather app. Dark Sky sends you hyper-local, down-to-the-minute alerts for rain or snow, so you can plan your commute to the piers accordingly.”

Get Dark Sky: iOS App Store

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Accepting Payments or Sharing Expenses

TransferWise — Easily Transfer Money Abroad

“TransferWise lets you send and receive funds internationally for up to 90% less than you would pay a bank. Funds arrive much faster than standard wire transfers and the company uses current exchange rates, saving clients time and money.”

Get TransferWise: iOS App Store | Google Play

Venmo — Pay Your Friends

“Armory Week is packed with group activities, making it challenging to keep track of who paid for what. Venmo makes it easy to split any tab, reimburse someone, or even remind them to pay you. Use it to pay back your colleagues for coffee runs and lunches and easily keep track of your spending, all without ever taking out your wallet.”

Get Venmo: iOS App Store | Google Play

XE currency — Convert Every World Currency

“Of the many currency apps out there, XE is the gold standard. The app compares and converts effortlessly between up to 10 exchange rates and keeps a standing rotation of currencies to watch. It’s easy to add or remove currencies from your list so you can quickly, and accurately, quote prices to collectors from every corner of the world.”

Get XE currency: iOS App Store | Google Play

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Networking at the Fair

CamCard — Business Card Scanner

“Meeting new clients is an important part of any large fair, but organizing business card info can be tedious. CamCard lets you skip this step by snapping a photo of each card. All of the text is automatically stored and labeled correctly as name, company, email, phone, etc. New contacts are saved to your address book and synced across devices. CamCard and CamScanner (a PDF and document scanner) can be purchased together on iTunes for $0.99 (or separately, for $0.99 each)."

Get CamCard: iOS App Store (with CamScanner) 

and Google Play (CamCard only)

LinkedIn — Networking Tool

“Most people are accustomed to using LinkedIn on a desktop, but having the app accessible on your phone can be a lifesaver when time is short. Look up a new connections, contact potential clients or collaborators, and access your profile on the go. It’s especially useful for checking name spellings in case you didn’t catch them the first time after meeting new contacts.”

Get LinkedIn: iOS App Store | Google Play

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Productivity On The Go

Artsy Folio — Display & Share Gallery Works

“Folio, offered by Artsy, is a virtual right-hand at art fairs, allowing you to bring your entire inventory to the fair with you. Having Folio on your iPhone and iPads means you’re no longer limited to selling only the works in your physical booth and can easily present any artwork to visitors. Most importantly, you can send clients every detail about an artwork with a few taps. When working with clients with particular tastes, Folio lets you create albums to curate and share a group of works. After the fair, use Folio to send follow-up emails from anywhere.”

Get Folio: iOS App Store

Dragon Dictation — Voice Notes App

“Dragon Dictation makes writing anything a hands-free activity. The app translates your voice into written texts, notes, and emails, up to five times faster than typing on the keyboard, and can even dictate status directly to Facebook and Twitter. Handy when you have mere seconds to jot down follow-up collector notes, and client wish lists, before jumping into your next meeting to keep everything straight.”

Get Dragon Dictation: iOS App Store | Google Play

Appear-In — Easy Access Group Video Chat

“Appear-in lets anyone create a virtual room and invite up to 8 friends for a video conference. Choose a name for your room and share a link with the people you want to include. Once they click the link, they will “appear in” the room with you—no passwords, set-up, or sign-up required. Appear-in is a great choice for impromptu conferences when you need your registrar or artist to look at something and they are a continent away.” 

Get Appear-In: iOS App Store | Google Play

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New Social and Photo Apps

Snapseed — image Editing

“Though the app deserves praise for bringing professional-quality editing tools right to your phone, Snapseed is perhaps most useful for adding a white background to any object or scene. Get rid of pesky shadows or distracting objects to let your artwork look its best. The perspective tool, in particular, helps turn a quick install shot into something worthy of your Instagram feed.”

Get Snapseed: iOS App Store | Google Play

Slack — Instant team communication

“Slack is the group messaging and productivity darling among the tech-savvy. Its mission is to make your working life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive. Accessible from any device, and integrated with many other services, Slack has the potential to become your staff’s default communication tool, replacing most phone calls and reducing email by up to 50%.”

Get Slack: iOS App Store | Google Play

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Client Experience & Wellness Apps

BREATHER — ON-DEMAND MEETING AND WORK SPACES

“Available in Manhattan and select cities in North America, Breather lets you find a place to work, meet, or relax. If you need a meeting space for an hour (or a day), the app lets you reserve a beautiful, private space. Breather spaces are available whenever you need them, and offer free WiFi, comfortable seating, and anything you might need. The app also offers a free hour with code APPSTORE.” 

Get Breather: iOS App Store | Google Play

Glamsquad — Beauty on the Go

“Whether it’s the MoMA party, a panel talk, or an important client meeting, a hair blow-out is not just a small luxury, but an instant confidence boost. Unlike similar apps, Glamsquad offers affordable on-demand beauty services in-home (or hotel, booth, or gallery). During a hectic week, when fair fatigue hits and you’re short on time, this app is an invaluable ally.” 

Get Glamsquad: iOS App Store

Resy — Get Reservations for In-Demand Restaurants

“During the period of ‘restaurant gridlock’ of any art fair, Resy is especially helpful. The app specializes in helping you score reservations that would otherwise be hard to come by. You can even pay a small premium to grab reservations at top spots that have been booked up for months.” 

Get Resy: iOS App Store | Google Play

Minibar — On-Demand Alcohol Delivery

“Minibar lets you order beer, wine, and liquor to your door (or booth) directly from your phone. There's no need to send out your gallery staff in search of that celebratory bottle of champagne—and it's simple to use for gifts to send clients.” 

Get Minibar: iOS App Store | Google Play