Global art phenomenon the Affordable Art Fair will return to Brisbane from May 8-11 after a successful inaugural event in the city last year.
The Fair has revolutionised the international art market with its fun and accessible approach to purchasing art since 1999. In Brisbane about 50 independent Australian galleries will participate, with thousands of original works for sale under one roof priced from $100 to $10,000.
Australian Fair Director Stephanie Kelly said the 2025 Fair would welcome new artists and galleries, showcase the next generation of emerging talent, feature interactive exhibitions and live painting experiences, and introduce a new Children’s Art Studio.
“The Affordable Art Fair is a fun and accessible way to view and buy art, whether you’re a seasoned collector or considering buying your first piece,” Ms Kelly said.
“The Fair offers a welcoming and relaxed space where art buyers can learn more about each piece, talk to gallerists, watch artists in action, hear from experts and immerse themselves in an array of styles, genres and mediums.
“Visitors also have incredible access to gallerists and experts who love to help them with every aspect of choosing art, from their budget and preferred style to selecting a space to hang it and how to frame it.
“Every piece at the Affordable Art Fair Brisbane is from a living artist, every artwork on display lists a sale price, and every piece can be bought, wrapped and taken home on the same day.”
Returning after a successful 2024 Fair are The Toowoomba Gallery, Yandina’s Stevens Street Gallery, inner-Brisbane’s Red Hill Gallery, Revival Art & Design Gallery and Aspire Gallery, and the Gold Coast’s Mint Art House and Gold Coast Gallery of Art.
For the artist-run collective Mint Art House, Brisbane’s inaugural Affordable Art Fair was a game-changer that created new opportunities for its artists, including Camille Manley.
Following the 2024 Fair, Manley secured representation with Gallery Alchemy in New South Wales, completed a live commission for ABI Interiors, and was selected for the Queensland Regional Art Award’s 2025 touring exhibition.
“The Fair gave real-time feedback on my work. I got a real sense for what people connected to and the pieces that made them excited,” Ms Manley said.
“Regional artists often face barriers in reaching broader audiences. This Fair changed that for us. It gave our artists access to people who wouldn’t have encountered our work otherwise.”
The 2025 Fair includes a spotlight on First Nations art featuring Lauren Rogers (Ngarabul, Torres Strait Islander), Nikita Newley (Wuthathi-Darumbal), Chloe Watego (Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi) and Nathan Rodgers-Falk (Ngemba, Murrawarri, Wiradjuri).
Yaama Ganu Gallery, a not-for-profit gallery supporting artists from the Kamilaroi Nation and Aboriginal-managed Art Centres, teams up with Aboriginal Contemporary, a gallery that ethically sources Aboriginal art, to exhibit at Affordable Art Fair Brisbane for the first time.
Other galleries making their debut in 2025 are Brad Turner Creative, following the rapturous response to Turner’s solo live painting in 2024; the textile and design studio, Shibori; New Zealand artist representative Vandal LTD; Blue Umbra sculpture studio in Bega Valley; and Sydney’s Martine Gallery which represents more than 40 artists.
In addition to browsing thousands of original artworks under one roof, visitors to the Affordable Art Fair Brisbane can experience Artist in Action demonstrations featuring live painting by artist Nick Olsen of Red Hill Gallery, Jan Du Rand of Salt Contemporary Art, Caitlin Lever of Stevens Street Gallery, Phillip Edwards of Sarah Birtles Art + Advice and Brad Turner of Brad Turner Creative.
District 23 presents two pop art-inspired interactive installations by Connor McCue, Courtenay McCue and Eduardo Knox: Plucka Duck claw machine and neon-lit The Umbrella Effect.
The family-friendly Fair will unveil a brand-new Children’s Art Studio, curated by artist Tenyka Jay, where budding artists of all ages can explore an underwater wonderland filled with sealife and submarines, including a seven-metre hand-painted mural, watercolour whales, colouring activities and free face painting.
Affordable Art Fair Brisbane runs Thursday 8 May – Sunday 11 May 2025 at the Brisbane Showgrounds Exhibition Building. For information and tickets, click here.
