Sarah Gavlak

Sarah Gavlak is an art dealer and the founder of GAVLAK, a contemporary art gallery in Palm Beach, established in 2005. Gavlak attended graduate school in critical theory at ArtCenter College of Design in 1996, which launched her career as a curator, writer, and gallerist. In 2014, Gavlak opened a second exhibition space in Los Angeles, expanding the gallery’s network and programming. A lifelong advocate for social change, she is a member of ArtTable, an organization dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts, and a trustee of ArtCenter College of Design.

Driven by an uncompromising vision for groundbreaking contemporary art, Gavlak has brought the work of women, LGBTQ+, immigrant, and BIPOC artists to the attention of collectors, public institutions, and global audiences for over twenty years. Her roster represents artists working across media, including Jose Alvarez (D.O.P.A), Karen Carson, Viola Frey, Marylin Minter, and Betty Tompkins, in addition to rising talents like Alex Anderson, and April Bey, Gisela Colón and Kim Dacres. Her priorities as a gallerist precede the current sea change toward equity in the art world and have made an enduring impact on the vibrant contemporary art scene in Palm Beach, Los Angeles, and beyond.

In 2018, Gavlak launched New Wave, a Palm Beach-based nonprofit, and its associated New Wave Art Wknd (NWAW) to build upon the thriving arts culture in South Florida and facilitate relationships between collectors and artists. Rooted in critical dialogue around diversity and inclusion, NWAW offers a range of public programming and private events to lead the conversation on equitable philanthropy and collecting. New Wave has since grown to host a year-round residency for artists from underrepresented communities and its annual New Wave Art Wknd.