The new event is actually a continuation of the venerable Northern Ireland Antiques and Fine Art Fair, which ran for 27 years at the Culloden Hotel, Belfast.
Last year it was taken over by The Carmah Group, a Bangor-based management and public relations company who felt the event needed an update and decided to move it to a bigger, more central location and revamp, rename and relaunch it.
Antiques and Arts International will be unveiled from November 15 to 17 (with a preview on the evening of November 14) at the Ramada Hotel, Shaws Bridge, Belfast, a new, four-star venue in the exclusive Malone area of the city.
Around 40 stands are envisaged, selling quality items with a dateline of 1950. Among the Northern Ireland dealers who have already signed up are Antiques at the Stile, the Phoenix Gallery, and Jacquart Antiques and Interiors.
A number of English dealers are on the verge of signing up and the organisers are keen to attract attention from the Republic of Ireland trade. The main sponsor, McGimpsey’s Removals, promise special rates for transportation of stock.
Alison Gordon, managing director of Carmah, tells me a large marketing budget has been earmarked for the launch, which includes television advertising. She expects more than 10,000 visitors.
A venerable event is reborn to challenge for the Irish title
PLANS are well advanced for what looks set to become the major antiques fair of Belfast and, if the pre-launch activity is anything to judge by, Antiques and Arts International will be a contender for Ireland’s top fair.
