Affordable Art Fair, Battersea – Record Turnout Breaks Through the £100 Million Mark

The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) in Battersea Park comes to a close today with organisers and exhibitors proudly announcing a record number of visitors to the four-day event.

Founded in Battersea Park in 1999 the Affordable Art Fair has become the leading UK showcase for contemporary art under £3,000. Founder Will Ramsay’s aim was to make contemporary art accessible to all. His refreshingly egalitarian approach was an instant hit and the Affordable Art Fair now takes place biannually in London and annually in Bristol, Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, New York, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne.

This month marks the Affordable Art Fair’s tenth anniversary -- an appropriate time for the Fair to break through the £100 million sales mark. According to The Guardian, organisers reported a record £500,000 in sales in the first four hours of opening. The high-end art market may be jittery but affordable art appears immune from the credit crunch.

At Hotel Rafayel we are delighted with the success of the Affordable Art Fair; it is good not only for art but also for Battersea and its growing status as London's Left Bank. Art is for everyone! As our hotel is so close to the Fair, we invite those who visit and exhibit at the AAF’s Spring Collection in March to come and view the contemporary art exhibition we will be hosting in our lobby, bar/restaurant and conference rooms.