Affordable Art Fair
Affordable Art Fair is an international, contemporary art fair held in 9 different countries around the world. First launched in Battersea Park, London, England, in 1999, Affordable Art Fair is now an international event taking place in 13 cities across the world including London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Hamburg, Stockholm, New York, Austin, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne.[1][2] In 2025, Affordable Art Fair will launch in Vienna, Austria for the first time.
The fairs take place annually with the exception of Battersea and New York, which hold spring and autumn editions and run across four days. Affordable Art Fairs showcase talks, programmes and artist-led workshops, and most also provide art-based activities for children.
Founded by Will Ramsay, Affordable Art Fair was organised as an alternative to the traditional gallery scene.[3] With its price ceiling of £7,500/€10,00/$12,000, the fair aims to appeal to and make art accessible for all.[4][5] The fairs regularly attract over 200,000 visitors each year.[6]
In 2024, Affordable Art Fair celebrates its 25th anniversary.[7]
Employing nearly 70 people full-time, Affordable Art Fair have offices in every city in which they operate.
History[edit]
The first fair was launched in Battersea Park in London in October 1999.[8] Affordable Art Fair then launched a second event in Battersea Park to showcase different artists from the October event. In the same year, a fair was established in Bristol, taking place in September.
In 2002, the Affordable Art Fair launched a fair in New York. In 2007, the company began to expand within Europe, starting with the launch of a fair in Amsterdam. Affordable Art Fairs now take place around the world, with fairs in numerous cities spread across four continents. 2012 saw the Affordable Art Fair launch in five new cities and it launched in Hong Kong in 2013. In 2014, for the fourth year in a row, Affordable Art Fair was voted a CoolBrand in the UK, nominated by the British public and the CoolBrand council.[9]
Affordable Art Fair is owned by Ramsay Fairs. Ramsay Fairs also owns the British Art Fair, a modern and contemporary art fair which takes place every autumn at the Saatchi Gallery in London, and VOLTA, an art fair in Switzerland (Basel) and the USA (New York).[10]
In 2020, the in-person fairs were cancelled and went online due to the pandemic.[11] The fairs returned as a live event in 2021.[12]
Charitable work[edit]
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Affordable Art Fair have donated over £1 million to worthwhile causes since 1999. In 2016, the company unified its approach to charitable work by ensuring every fair worked with an Art Therapy charity. As well as donating money the events provide a platform in which charities can raise awareness of their activities, fundraise and connect with new supporters. They have worked with a number of charities including The Sovereign Art Foundation and North London Hospice.[13]
References[edit]
- ^ London, Luxury (11 March 2021). "The best art fairs and events in London 2021 | Art | Culture". Luxury London. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "The Affordable Art Fair brings art enthusiasts together". The Milan City Journal. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Olley, Cat (4 March 2020). "Find out what Will Ramsay is reading, watching and listening to right now". ELLE Decoration. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "A View from the top: Will Ramsay, founder and CEO of the Affordable Art Fair". The Independent. 6 November 2018. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Affordable Art Fair | New York". www.artforum.com. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "As the Affordable Art Fair Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary, Young Buyers Find Its Transparency and Accessibility More Relevant Than Ever". Artnet News. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Affordable Art Fair: Democratising the Art Market for 25 Years, Now in 14 Countries Worldwide". Country and Town House. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Affordable Art Fair Battersea | info + insights | artfairmag.com". artfairmag.com | All about art fairs worldwide. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Affordable Art Fair" Archived October 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. CoolBrands, UK, 2012.
- ^ Armstrong, Annie (18 October 2019). "Volta Art Fair, Whose New York Edition Was Scuttled Earlier This Year, Has Been Sold". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ hermesauto (3 September 2020). "Affordable Art Fair cancels upcoming 11th edition". The Straits Times. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Affordable Art Fair New York 2021". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Founder of Affordable Art Fair explains his art-for-all philosophy". South China Morning Post. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- Local media reports for:
- Production of Affordable Art.com