{"id":16948,"date":"2024-01-05T13:36:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T13:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/affordableartfair.com\/inspiration\/why-we-support-emerging-artists\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T09:22:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T09:22:07","slug":"why-we-support-emerging-artists","status":"publish","type":"inspiration","link":"https:\/\/affordableartfair.com\/inspiration\/why-we-support-emerging-artists\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting Emerging Artists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here at the Affordable Art Fair, supporting emerging artists and nurturing new talent has been at the heart of what we do since the very beginning. We\u2019ve made no secret about our continued love affair with spotting raw talent and helping young artists take that first, sometimes challenging, step into the contemporary art world. This is no small feat, as we know how tough breaking into any market can be! But, we recognise and strongly believe in the importance of supporting young creatives bursting with new ideas in getting a well-deserved debut in the art scene.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, back in 1999 when we opened our first fair, we pledged to support emerging artists at the start of their careers, brimming with dynamism, innovation and enthusiasm. Over wenty years later,\u00a0we\u2019re extremely proud to have donated \u00a32.3m (US$2.9m, \u20ac2.7m<\/strong>)\u00a0worth of stand space as of January 2024 for up and coming artists to exhibit at our fairs worldwide<\/strong>, as well as supporting their creative endeavours through our online spaces. Whether pairing emerging artists up with established curators, providing them with access to our digital platforms through an Instagram takeover, commissioning limited editions of their exciting work to be sold on our online marketplace, or donating free stand space to our emerging artist exhibitions; we\u2019ve developed a number of important schemes to contribute to the art eco-system whilst kickstarting a host of creative careers.
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Why do we support emerging artists?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

So, how do our emerging artist exhibitions work in practice? Whilst this model changes from country to country, fair to fair, in general it follows a simple formula. Either a curator goes on the hunt to find fresh talent or we launch a competition, before accepting or inviting a selection of artists to exhibit with us for free. A lot of the time, these special exhibitions house some of the most innovative, exciting works at our fairs \u2013 so in the run-up to the even we shout loud and proud to bring collectors and visitors to these exhibitions. Once the fair is over, we continue to shine a spotlight on these emerging artists, through our blog, or even bespoke mentoring programmes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The artists chosen to present at our Recent Graduates exhibition at Affordable Art Fair Battersea Autumn 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Depending on where in the world you are, each of these curated exhibitions has a slightly different flavour, reflecting the local art schools and contemporary, curatorial scene. Whatever the iteration, you can rely on the best and brightest emerging artists, selected from local exhibitions and graduate end-of-year shows by cutting-edge curators. For example, in the UK, the Recent Graduates\u2019 exhibition at Battersea Autumn 2019 welcomed back a crop of emerging talent from over the years to join its \u2018Recent Graduates Revisited<\/a>\u2019 showcase. At the Hampstead fair our partner,\u00a0Made in Arts London<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 run by the Students\u2019 Union at University of the Arts London \u2013 curate the show. Exploring a different theme each year, they curate a popular exhibition of cutting edge work, whilst inviting selected students to give further insight into the inspiration and processes behind their work through a programme of free talks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Affordable Art Fair Hamburg Young Talent exhibition is one of our longest running programmes. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Alice Oehr’s Discover: Young Talent exhibition at Affordable Art Fair Syndey 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, over in Singapore, the Young Talent Programme welcomes a selection of emerging artists to apply for their programme, with the top talent selected by a dedicated committee. Whilst the fair is committed to shining a spotlight on young Southeast Asian artists, at the programme\u2019s heart is a mentorship scheme that takes place\u00a0after<\/em>\u00a0the fair. Three finalists from the exhibition move onto the second phase of the programme: a ten-month mentorship with a programme curator, leading up to a solo show at the\u00a0ION Art Gallery<\/a>. This scheme allows each artist to reflect and develop their creative practices whilst enjoying the unique opportunity to work closely with a curator.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Emerging<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Wherever in the world our fairs are, without a doubt, a big part of why we create these programmes is to connect fresh talent to art buyers, meaning our fairs are fabulous hotspots from which to find rising stars. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I definitely recommend you visit one of our art fairs … You meet the artist at a crucial point in their career, when they are more energised, excited and, often, brave – so it’s really the perfect place to snap up a future investment without breaking the bank.<\/em>” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will Ramsay, Ramsay Fairs CEO<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With many exhibitors fresh out of university or art college, the fairs are often the first time these artists gain large-scale exposure. Crucially, artists are supported through every step of the way: from the operation and logistical aspects, the curation and hanging to marketing, press and sales. Because we encourage artists to sell their own work on their stands, they\u2019re also able to gauge reactions to specific works on-site, which can prove invaluable feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, whilst it\u2019s of course important to sell artwork at the fairs themselves, it also provides artists with the opportunity to build up a client base and spread the word about their work once the fair closes. All-round art expert, Vanessa Seis, explains the\u00a0Affordable Art Fair New York<\/a>\u00a0Young Talent Exhibition is crucial:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“It’s really important that emerging artists use these exhibitions to meet potential galleries who may consider representing them or get to know clients and collectors who in turn fall in love with their work. In this way, we can help young artists develop beyond the fairs, helping those young artists connect with an art loving audience that will continue to support them as their career grows.<\/em>” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanessa Seis, Arts Professional<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Discover: Young Talent exhibition at Affordable Art Fair Melbourne 2019. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A guided tour of the Emerging Artist exhibition at Affordable Art Fair Brussels. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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What\u2019s more, we know this system really works. To mark our 20th anniversary in 2019, we caught up with\u00a0Andrew Salgado<\/a>, who started his career back in 2009 at the Affordable Art Fair Battersea\u2019s Recent Graduate show. Ten years later, he is represented by Beers Contemporary, regularly selling out of work at his exhibitions and was described by former chairman of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Ivan Massow, as a \u2018genius\u2019! Andrew reflected on how vital the art far had been to his initial steps in the contemporary art world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Having an influx of attention helped catapult my initial sales. I remember selling works at the Affordable Art Fair to buyers from London and Germany for \u00ac\u00a33,500, which was so thrilling at the time. It’s intimidating how fast after university an artist needs to become a real-world business person. Any push in the right direction is momentous and I have to say my university education didn’t prepare me to become an artist. If it wasn’t for that initial Affordable Art Fair, it’s conceivable I would have left London, which would have been a huge shame as I just love it here.<\/em>” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew Salgado, Contemporary Artist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Andrew<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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So, the next time you see a feature highlighting the work of an emerging artist, either at\u00a0one of our fairs<\/a>, do take a few moments to pause, consider and understand the concepts behind their work. No doubt, they will push you to consider the direction contemporary art is moving, but if you\u2019re lucky they\u2019ll also present you with a purchase to treasure forever, safe in the knowledge that you\u2019ve supported an up-and-coming name, helping them to continue their career.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EXPLORE OUR FAIRS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN ART<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Main Image:<\/b> Emerging artist, Katja Pilipenko, who was invited to exhibit at Affordable Art Fair Hamburg 2023<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here at the Affordable Art Fair, we\u2019ve long had a love affair with spotting and helping emerging artists take their next step in the contemporary art world. Here’s why….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":16957,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,35,37],"class_list":["post-16948","inspiration","type-inspiration","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-art","category-art-advice","category-inspire-me"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSupporting Emerging Artists | Affordable Art Fair<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At Affordable Art Fair, we help emerging artists take their next step in the contemporary art world. 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