Our Guide To All The Art Fairs Over 'Frieze week'

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 125 months ago
Our Guide To All The Art Fairs Over 'Frieze week'
Ben Moore, StormOffSki. Image courtesy STRARTA and the artist.
Ben Moore, StormOffSki. Image courtesy STRARTA and the artist.
Nicole Furman, 'Hommage a Mondrian. Image courtesy the artist and The Other Art Fair
Nicole Furman, 'Hommage a Mondrian. Image courtesy the artist and The Other Art Fair
Gonçalo Mabunda, Untitled (Throne), 2013, Courtesy of Jack Bell Gallery
Gonçalo Mabunda, Untitled (Throne), 2013, Courtesy of Jack Bell Gallery
TIAF London
The Independent Artist Fair 
Mile End Art Pavilion, Clinton Road, London E3 4QY
Private View and drinks reception 16th October 6.30-9pm
Gallery open October 16-20th
Glynn Griffiths, Thought Construct. Image courtesy the artist and The Independent Artists Fair
TIAF London
The Independent Artist Fair 
Mile End Art Pavilion, Clinton Road, London E3 4QY
Private View and drinks reception 16th October 6.30-9pm
Gallery open October 16-20th
Petrusco Mengler, She came from the sea. Image courtesy the artist and The Independent Artists Fair

Frieze is one of the largest art fairs in the world and when it descends on Regent's Park for an extended weekend, a horde of major global collectors comes with it. Having so many prominent collectors in town means that all commercial galleries will have a show open to coincide with Frieze and it's a great opportunity for other art fairs to catch the eye of collectors while they are in town.

But whether you're buying or browsing, we've collated a list of all the art fairs over the coming two weeks with key facts such as dates and ticket prices so you can decide which ones are for you — and over half of them are free to visit.

STRARTA

Venue: Saatchi Gallery
Dates:
10-13 October
Ticket Price: £15
Is it for me?:
It's the one art fair on the weekend before Frieze. By keeping the number of galleries to single digits STRATA gives each one plenty of room to display its works. Keep an eye out for the stormtrooper helmets decorated by famous artists with their signature styles. It's perfect for getting a pre-Frieze art fix and features two of our favourite galleries — Scream and Rook & Raven.

Animal Art Fair

Venue: 273 Fulham Road
Dates:
14-19 October & 18 November-9 December
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
Whether it's the majestic or the cute. all animal-art lovers will find something to like  here — and if you miss the first opening it will return in the run up to Christmas.

1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair

Venue: Somerset House
Dates:
16-20 October
Ticket Price: £12
Is it for me?:
Contemporary African Art is in the ascendancy and making waves with two major exhibitions at Tate Modern recently. Fans of bold and politically charged art will find plenty to like here.

The Independent Artist Fair

Venue: Mile End Art Pavilion
Dates:
16-20 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
We know little about this one but it's a mixture of emerging and established artists, featuring an international roster of over 50 artists on display.

PAD

Venue: Berkeley Square
Dates:
16-20 October
Ticket Price: £20
Is it for me?:
Taking over the venue recently vacated by LAPADA, comes an art fair with a focus on design. One for those interested in interior design.

Frieze and Frieze Masters

Venue: Regent's Part
Dates:  
17-20 October
Ticket Price: £32 for Frieze alone, £50 to include Frieze Masters
Is it for me?:
This is the big one that all the major collectors go to and is filled with multinational galleries and works by big name artists — the place to be if you want your finger on the pulse of the art world. Ticket prices are steep but you can have a wander around the sculpture park outside for free.

The Other Art Fair & Moniker Art Fair

Venue: Old Truman Brewery
Dates:
17-20 October
Ticket Price: £6 for both.
Is it for me?:
The Other Art Fair is all about artists representing themselves. Though it's had some patchy showings, the last one was the strongest yet. It's moved to a larger venue and also joined forces with Moniker, another young art fair, so visitors get two for the price of one. It's a chance to snap up works by exciting emerging artists and talk to the artists directly.

Touch

Venue: Old BBC Studios, Marylebone High Street
Dates: 17-20 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?: Tired of the 'do not touch' signs next to artworks? Here it's necessary to feel the art to get the full experience. This fair will appeal to those  who want to get more hands-on with art and are looking for something a little different. It's run by the same people who organised the innovative 'Blind Data' exhibition last year.

Moving Image

Venue: Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf
Dates:
17-20 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
Video art/film is the latest art genre on the rise and here's an art fair solely dedicated to it. Video art often gets sidelined at art fairs as it's hard to sell, but we've spotted some mesmerising works at previous showings.

Sunday Art Fair

Venue: Ambika P3
Dates:
17-20 October
Ticket Price:
Free
Is it for me?: Much more relaxed than their giant neighbour across the road, this is ideally situated next to Regent's Park. The focus here is on the conceptual and understated. One for people who like their art to slowly grow on them.

Parallax

Venue: Chelsea Town Hall
Dates:
18-19 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
Don't let the Chelsea venue fool you, the prices here are usually very reasonable and bargains abound. It's also not too far from the Animal Art Fair so it's easy to visit one after the other.

Big Deal
Venue: Q-Park, Cavendish Square
Dates:
18-20 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?: An underground car park near Oxford Circus should make for an atmospheric setting. Coupled with some performance art, this should be an entertaining experience.

Multiplied

Venue: Christie's, South Kensington
Dates:
18-21 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
By focussing on prints and photographs and mixing established and emerging artists, there should be something for all budgets here. If you're a fan of an artist and can't afford an original, prints are often the best way to get a hold of their work. Two galleries to look out for are Flowers and Bearspace.

Sluice

Venue: 47/49 Tanner Street, Bermondsey
Dates: 19-20 October
Ticket Price: Free
Is it for me?:
The very antithesis to an art fair. This is about experiencing art and not about making sales. If you think art has become too commercial, this is the perfect oasis. Read our interview with director Ben Street for more information.

Last Updated 09 October 2013