The Dallas Invitational, founded by Dallas dealer James Cope, is expanding internationally with its first London edition during Frieze Week. Designed as an alternative to large-scale convention-center fairs, the event brings together a carefully selected group of galleries in a more personal and collaborative setting.
The inaugural London Invitational will welcome 12 exhibitors, including emerging and mid-sized galleries from the United States and the United Kingdom. Participants include François Ghebaly, LOMEX, Bel Ami, Marinaro, Charles Asprey and London-based Vardaxoglou.
A smaller format for new connections
Cope launched the Dallas Invitational four years ago with a focus on shared experience rather than a conventional application system. The invite-only format aims to connect galleries with collectors, curators and peers through a programme built around hospitality, conversation and long-term relationships.
The London edition will take place at the Chancery Rosewood in Mayfair, a recently renewed cultural destination in the former US Embassy building on Grosvenor Square. The venue will provide an intimate setting for galleries to present works while engaging with the international audience gathered in the city for Frieze Week.
Ten of the participating galleries are based in the US, while two are from London. The event also reflects the growing interest in flexible, boutique-scale art platforms that make international participation more accessible for independent galleries.
Cope is joined in the London expansion by consultants Jessica Nowitzki and Melissa Ireland, who will support the event's relationship-driven approach. Beyond exhibitions and sales, the Invitational model emphasizes welcoming visiting galleries and encouraging meaningful exchanges across the art ecosystem.
The London launch signals how smaller, curated art events can broaden opportunities for galleries and collectors, potentially shaping a more connected and adaptable future for the global art market.
