Opens today: Feast on art this summer at Hampstead, London

Associated media

The Affordable Art Fair arrives in Hampstead, London 12 – 15 June

Since 1999, the Affordable Art Fair has celebrated the idea that viewing art should be something akin to sitting down to an indulgent feast. There should be a riot of colour, flavour, and vivid, rich sensations of noise and laughter.

Whilst going to an art gallery can sometimes be perceived as a very formal and intimidating experience, the Affordable Art Fair Hampstead aims to change this. With 113 UK and new international galleries showcasing a diverse display of art, visitors can immerse themselves in work from up-and-coming artists as well as some very exciting established talent. It’s fun, friendly and affordable, and with all pieces sitting between £40 and £4,000, there really is something for everyone.

At the fair, well-known artists such as Damien Hirst and Anish Kapoor  are displayed shoulder to shoulder with emerging names such as Patrick Thomas and Niggy Dowler.

Hampstead Fair Director, Romy Westwood, offers her thoughts on art buying:
Buying original art gives great pleasure, both as something to have in your home to enjoy for years, but also the satisfaction of knowing that you are also supporting the careers of artists by investing in their work. For me, buying a piece of art because you love it, and not worrying about how much it may increase in value makes it doubly worthwhile.

June’s Hampstead fair provides a platform for emerging talent to showcase their work, so buyers could potentially be investing in the next big thing!

The Affordable Art Fair Hampstead is the perfect place to find a unique piece of art.

Local artist, Deborah Azzopardi, will be showcasing a selection of limited edition prints at the North London fair this June.Azzopardi’s flirtatious, carefree and distinctive pop-art images can sell for up to £15,000, but visitors to the Affordable Art Fair can have a piece of the action with her brand new works on paper at a much more pocket-friendly price.

Work from Richard Twose, Tom Hughes and Mary Jane Ansell – all recently shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery – will be showcasing work in Hampstead. Work by up-and-coming artist Jonathan Gabb will also be available.

Many works are under £500. The ‘Own Art’ scheme is used by many of the exhibiting galleries, allowing buyers to arrange payments in manageable instalments.

Visitors can also immerse themselves in something creative by taking part in drop-in artistic workshops or joining regular walking tours around the fair with friendly art experts who will talk through the huge assortment of works from illustration and sculpture to photography and paintings.

Raising money for charity

This year, Affordable Art Fair Hampstead is supporting the Terrence Higgins Trust to raise awareness and funds for the HIV and sexual health charity. Events on the stand will include a ‘Name the Dog’ competition with a ceramic dog from English artist Grayson Perry. Limited edition prints from Anish Kapoor and Howard Hodgkin will also be available for visitors to buy, with all proceeds going to the Terrence Higgins Trust