New York — It’s back-to-school week for the art world as New York’s fall art week gets underway, reaffirming the city’s well documented role as the global epicenter of creativity and commerce. Among the standout events, Volta is a beacon of avant-garde inspiration and latter-day finesse.

Known for its commitment to emerging and mid-career artists, Volta returns Sept. 5 with a diverse selection of galleries and artists that highlight cutting-edge practices and fresh voices. This year’s edition, held at the Chelsea Industrial, 535-551 W 28th St., features over 45 exhibitors from across five continents and 18 countries, reflecting the fair’s founding ethos as a platform for underrepresented voices in the market.

For the first time, Volta is featuring galleries from Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora. Reflecting the current cultural and geopolitical landscape in the country, The Ukrainian Pavilion is both a celebration of art and an act of solidarity that focuses necessary attention on the importance of cultural preservation during conflict.

After 15 years as a springtime show competing for air during Frieze Week, Volta joins the fall lineup along with the venerable Armory Show that opens Sept. 6 at the Javitz Center.

Harking to the vision of Artistic Director Lee Cavaliere, who was appointed last summer, this year’s show aims at themes of collaboration, commonality, and cultural discourse. Defying the common art fair model that often skews toward insiders and the art world elite, VOLTA presents a more egalitarian experience via a Town Square section that speaks to the theme of cultural discourse.

The show offers a shared terrain to showcase artistic excellence from overlooked communities while reaffirming its commitment to New York's vibrant cultural landscape. 

Alongside Volta and The Armory Show,  the invitation-only  Independent 20th Century opens Sept. 6 at Casa Cipriani, 10 South Street, continuing to champion avant-garde and experimental works, providing a counterpoint to the more traditional offerings of its peers.

Also notable is Art on Paper, which returns to Pier 36 Sept. 5 with 100 galleries featuring top modern and contemporary paper-based art. The fair’s tenth edition will showcase the versatility and innovation of paper-based artworks.

The New Art Dealers Alliance Fair opens Sept. 6 at 548 West 22nd Street, continuing its commitment to showcasing new and underrepresented artists.

SPRING/BREAK Art Show, which opens Sept. 6 at 75 Varicik St., seeks underused, atypical, and historic New York City exhibition spaces to activate and challenge the traditional cultural landscape of the art market, typically but not exclusively during Armory Arts Week New York and Frieze Week LA.