New York, December 22, 2009:  Long heralded as the nation’s premier fair for outstanding contemporary decorative arts and design, the 13th International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair in New York City will open on the evening of Thursday, April 15 and run through Monday, April 19, 2010 at the Park Avenue Armory. Mark Lyman, Founder/Director of SOFA and President, The Art Fair Company says, “The move to a Thursday opening and extended fair-run through Monday was recommended by our dealer committee in response to collector, curators and dealers needs. Judging from the remarkable success of our 16th SOFA CHICAGO held last November, we anticipate vigorous sales at SOFA NEW YORK.”  Donna Schneier of Donna Schneier Fine Arts, Palm Beach, succinctly expressed the sentiments of dealers at the Chicago fair—“The fear is gone.” Lyman adds, “Collectors are giving themselves permission to buy again--at all price levels. And because contemporary decorative arts and design has flown a bit under the radar, the area has yet to be marked by a heavy preponderance of speculative buying and flipping.  Bounce-back sales at SOFA fairs reflect the continuing stability of this market."