The JBP Art Fair Survival Kit!

Today marks the official opening of the 2010 NYC Art Fairs! For the unacquainted, this annual event draws galleries from around the world to exhibit their artists in NYC for the weekend. However, there is so much art in one place at one time that the word "intimidating" is but an understatement.

In addition to our twice (and sometimes thrice!) weekly editions, everyone here at JBP HQ has been working extra hard to put together a special present for you: our patent-pending Art Fair Survival Kit! I can't give all of our surprises away just yet, but I wanted to shine the spotlight on one particularly awesome piece of the package that we'll be giving out at the fairs this weekend: The Map.

The Art Fairs and Other Useful Spots Map by Jason Polan, [download as a PDF]

Since posting a Google Map of our opinionated guide to the NYC Art Fairs earlier in the week, it has been viewed nearly 29,000 times. For the Survival Kit, the inimitable Jason Polan, who is profiled in today's Los Angeles Times, has created a hand-drawn version of our guide. We're throwing a printed copy of the map into every Art Fair Survival Kit, but we love it so much that we're also putting it online as a downloadable PDF so that everyone can print it, use it, share it, or even frame it!

In fact, sharp-eyed readers may notice a few discrepancies between our online guide and Jason's map. As I was crunching together text for the key that's on the back of the map, I noticed that Jason made a few of his own special additions including: Marfa, TX, a Taco Bell Drawing Club, and TWO zoos. Well-played, Mr. Polan.

Though cutting down all the amazing things happening this weekend onto one sheet of paper was no easy task, we hope that our guide will help you get the most out of your time at the fairs. If you spot anything amazing that we missed, perhaps for your edition wishlist, let us know on twitter @20x200!

The Art Fairs and Other Useful Spots Map by Jason Polan, [download as a PDF]