Next year it returns to the venue twice with a summer edition (June 25-28) following the winter staging (January 30-February 2). The new instalment joins the busy schedule of events taking place in the capital’s summer season and is likely to coincide with The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia, Masterpiece and Fair For Saatchi (which debuts this year).
Organiser Anna Wakerley of Oriel Fine Art launched Connect with fellow dealer James Manning to fill a perceived gap in the market. The central London fair is organised entirely by dealers and caters to those offering vetted art at ‘sensible’ prices – generally £500-20,000. It has so far cultivated an identity as ‘the friendliest fair to join in London’.
“We were thrilled with such a positive reception,” Wakerley says. “I can’t deny that it was hard work organising a fair from scratch, but we had a great team and the Mall Galleries were extremely supportive as were all the participating dealers.”
Thirty-two dealers stood at the inaugural event including committee members Freya Mitton, Matthew Hall of Panter & Hall and Guy Saunders. Initiatives for next year include stands tailored to ‘up and coming’ dealers.
