Twenty years of Brighton Art Fair: the original artists’ fair for the South Coast
The idea for Brighton Art Fair was born in a pub in 2004 when four friends – Jon Tutton, Sarah Young, Tessa Walliman and Phil Taylor – spent a long afternoon discussing the extraordinary talent pool of artists in Brighton, but bemoaned the lack of professional exposure for their work. Shortly afterwards, Jon Tutton booked the biggest and best venue in town: the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. The first edition proved a huge success, revealing the tremendous interest in the visual arts in the city.
Taylor and Walliman left the company after a couple of years, but Tutton and Young carried on with the project. Twenty years later, the duo have organised hundreds of events for artists in Brighton and London (at Fulham Palace, Marylebone, Bloomsbury, Islington and Canary Wharf). In addition, they run MADE London and MADE Brighton, two fairs for designer-makers, and Atelier beside the Sea, a permanent gallery, studio and shop on the Brighton seafront which they set up in 2021.
Co-founder Sarah Young is recognised widely for her printmaking, painting, craft and illustration, which has appeared in best-selling books including ‘Greek Myths’ published by Walker Books and written by Ann Turnbull. Young’s distinctive poster designs for Brighton Art Fair followed a sprightly character MM L’Art, skipping away delightedly with her multiple shopping bags filled with art. Each year the poster showed her leaving in a different form of transport, from a bicycle to a submarine and a whale.
Brighton Art Fair returns to the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange this autumn after a break due to the restoration of the venue for a very special 20th anniversary edition. Over the weekend 19-22 September, visitors can explore a spacious display of contemporary art, with curated booths put together by the artists.
Over 100 exhibitors, including artists, artist collectives, studios and galleries, are showing painting, printmaking, photography, 3D, mixed media and digital mediums in a price range from £50 to £5,000.
BRIGHTON ART FAIR
19-22 September 2024
Brighton Dome Corn Exchange,
New Road, BN1 1UG
brightonartfair.co.uk
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