About Affordable Art Fair
The very first edition of the Affordable Art Fair launched in London’s Battersea Park in October 1999. 10,000 art lovers descended upon the fair to browse and buy 1000s of original contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints in a relaxed and friendly environment. We now welcome over 210,000 art enthusiasts each year to our fairs globally, where they can take their pick from a mix of local, national and international galleries showcasing a wide array of affordable artworks by established artists and rising stars.
We hold fairs in 10 cities around the world including London, New York, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Brussels, Singapore, Milan, Stockholm and Bristol. Each fair is filled with a creative smorgasbord of artist performances, innovative talks and tours, hands-on workshops, kid’s activities, live music and irresistible restaurants and bars; making them an ideal day out with family and friends. It’s no wonder that since our humble beginnings, over 2.3 million people have visited an Affordable Art Fair, taking home over 450,000 pieces of artwork to loving new homes.
Will Ramsay
Founder & CEO
Founder & CEO
“In 1996, I opened the doors to Will’s Art Warehouse showcasing works priced between £50 – £2,500, from a pool of over 150 relatively unknown artists. Prices were clearly displayed and we were always on hand to give customers more information. Everyone loved the relaxed atmosphere in which they were free to take their time browsing the work – and that is what inspired the idea for the Affordable Art Fair. Over the years, each fair has developed its own distinct character and offers a diverse range to suit all tastes, styles and wallets. What remains constant is the emphasis on accessibility, education and innovation, to ensure a fun day out surrounded by great art is had by all!”
Our team
Our team
With offices all over the world, in each of the cities we hold a fair in, we are a truly international company dedicated to spreading the joy of owning art to every corner of the globe.
Carla Dolan
Fair Manager UK
Carla began her career in Event Management in 2007 and has been working in events ever since. Joining us in early 2015, she is bestowing her wealth of experience upon our UK fairs. Carla recently kick-started her own collection with her favourite print from Martin Grover.
Leigh Richards
Fair Manager UK
Leigh studied International Event Management at university and worked for a number of events across Europe, as well as an art gallery in South London before joining our UK team in 2016. In her spare time, Leigh enjoys learning languages and is a regular visitor to the V&A and the National Portrait Gallery.
Sarah Barrett
Programmes & Partnerships Manager UK
Sarah joined the team in 2014 to enhance the fair experience through exciting partnerships and creative workshops for all ages and abilities. Previously Sarah worked at the Whitechapel Gallery and East Street Arts, and in her spare time loves making her own art and visiting exhibitions with friends!
Sally Dickson
Programmes & Partnerships Coordinator UK
Sally joined the team in June 2016 working on-site at our Hampstead fair. Having studied History at the University of Sheffield, she loves gallivanting around new places to explore all the galleries and museums they have to offer. Her love of art began at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow where she still likes to spend a Saturday morning admiring the vast array of tapestries and prints.
Alison Clarke
Financial Controller UK
Joining the UK Team in July 2008, Alison came from a finance background working for theatre and television production companies. Having always been interested in the arts, working at the Affordable Art Fair has been a perfect fit – she now considers herself something of a collector having had the pleasure of shopping the fair aisles since she joined!
Jessica Hall
Marketing Director UK
Jess’ first role with the team was back in 2000. As well as curating and marketing roles at the fair, she has also previously worked as an artist (shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize) and arts workshop leader for organisations including the V&A and the British Museum. Jess has a BFA (Painting) from the Ruskin, a PGDip (Distinction) in direct and digital marketing.
Claire Jackson
Marketing Manager UK
Claire joined in September 2016 as part of the UK team to work across all aspects of our marketing for London and Bristol. Having studied Art History and worked in galleries including the National Portrait Gallery and the Barbican Art Gallery, it’s fair to say she can’t get enough of the stuff!
Camilla Hewitson
Regional Managing Director Asia
Camilla loves an art fair! Part of the initial team who launched Art Dubai, Camilla then took the reins spreading the Affordable Art Fair message to Asia and launched our Singapore fair in 2010, Hong Kong in 2013 and Seoul in 2015.
Alan Koh
Fair Director Singapore
Helping to launch our very first fair in Asia back in 2010, Alan joined the Singapore team after leading the marketing department at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. He now directs our Singapore fair, eager to boost the growing art market in his home city and introduce the joy of art to ever more people.
Stephanie Kelly
Fair Director Hong Kong
Worldwide adventurer and art buying addict, Stephanie hails originally from New Zealand, but has spent the last decade living in London, Singapore and now Hong Kong, collecting a vast amount of art along the way! Her favourite piece is “Cape of the Pacific Voyages” by Rebecca Jewell – inspired by indigenous capes, complete with feathers, it is hand-etched with the names and images of the ships that explored the Pacific during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Vanessa Leung
Fair Manager Singapore
Joining us in 2013, Vanessa manages our Singapore fair. Vanessa loves anything to do with the beach, sun & sea, thus seascapes and landscapes are among her favourite artwork themes.
May Wong
Fair Manager Hong Kong
Although May has always been very academically interested in art, she just loves the quirky and humorous, always enjoying a good giggle at David Shrigley’s doodles! In 2014, after relocating from London to Hong Kong, May joined us to oversee the galleries exhibiting at our Hong Kong fair.
Cleo Tse
Marketing Manager Hong Kong
After interning with us in 2014, Cleo officially joins the Affordable Art Fair team to work on the marketing, programming and customer experience for the Hong Kong fair. She loves exploring emerging artists’ exhibitions and has turned this passion into an online art magazine to promote exciting new artists.
Bernice Liew
Financial Controller Asia
Bernice manages the finance across all our Asian fairs. A Financial Management graduate, she has spent the past 10 years working within financial management, trading and business analysis. She is still to make her first artwork purchase, but she has her eye on a beautiful oil and mixed media piece by Stiliana Alexieva.
Julie Constant
Regional Managing Director Europe
Julie joined the company in 2008 as Fair Manager for Paris and Brussels. She then worked as our Brussels’ Fair Director for 4 years, and recently was appointed as the Regional Managing Director for Europe. When Julie is not dealing with one of our 5 European fairs, she can be found hunting for new decorative pieces or organising the next weekend family trip!
Manuela Porcu
Fair Director Milan
Manuela joined the Italian team at the end of 2010, before the launch of the first Affordable Art Fair in Milan. She has been in charge of marketing for several years and, more recently, Fair Director. Don’t ask her to pick a favourite artist thought – she falls in love with everything she feels a connection to!
Géraldine Hubot
Fair Director Brussels
Géraldine studied Marketing and Communication, followed by four years of hard work as a Press Agent. And three of those years were actually spent working on the PR for the Affordable Art Fair Brussels! As well as her passion for art, Géraldine also enjoys decoration and design.
Kris Clark
Fair Director Amsterdam
Kris joined our team in the Netherlands in June 2015, just four months prior to the fair! She firmly believes that good partnerships and great programming to accompany the art on show are key to a great fair.
Oliver Lähndorf
Fair Director Hamburg
Oliver has been working in the arts since 2000, as an Arts Manager focussing on film, photography and contemporary art in Hamburg, before he came to the Affordable Art Fair in 2011. His passion is local contemporary art and he is an avid collector of young, emerging artists from Hamburg.
Laura Gabellotto
Fair Manager Milan
After spending time studying and working as a museum assistant in Spain, Laura joined the Affordable Art Fair in 2010 and has been involved in our Italian journey from the very beginning. She has always been a lover of art and she bought her very first piece at the first edition of the Affordable Art Fair in Milan.
Louise Malfait
Fair Manager Brussels
With a degree in architecture and communication management under her belt, Louise learnt the art of strong organisation – a useful skill for a Fair Manager! As well as organising our fair in Brussels, in her spare time, Louise helps run a contemporary art walk through Brussels to showcase the very best of what the city has to offer.
Blythe Bolton
Fair Manager Amsterdam
Having participated in over 45 art fairs worldwide as an exhibitor, Blythe was delighted when the opportunity arose in late 2017 to put down her passport and take up the reins as Fair Manager of our Amsterdam Fair. The role perfectly combines her three great loves, art, Amsterdam and throwing a party!
Sylvia Rynell
Fair Manager Stockholm
Having undertaken various temporary roles within the Stockholm team, Sylvia is now our full-time Fair Manager. With a BA in arts & entrepreneurship, and a passion for modern art, she is committed to making the fair a fun and exciting experience for all involved!
Isabel Deimel
Fair Manager Hamburg
Devoted to the arts, Isabel studied Art History in Vienna and has had significant experience working for German art institutions such as the Dresden State Art Collection and the Hamburger Kunsthalle, before joining us in 2015. Isabel loves nothing more than encouraging an enthusiasm for art in everyone she meets.
Victoria Luna
Financial Controller Europe
Victoria handles all financial related issues for continental Europe, and is thrilled to be able to combine her two great passions in the one job - supporting the art and cultural sector, while following the financial markets. She is particularly inspired by art in the public space, and Anish Kapoor is her most favourite artist!
Cristina Salmastrelli
Regional Managing Director | Fair Director New York Spring
Cristina first joined Ramsay Fairs in 2011, becoming the Director of Affordable Art Fair NYC in May 2012. Now, as Regional Managing Director, she leads the US team with her passion for art and love of organisation.
Vanessa Seis
Fair Director New York Fall
Vanessa joined Ramsay Fairs in 2012 and has since become Fair Director of our New York, Fall fair. Vanessa bought her very first artwork from Brazilian artist Herbert Baglione, after falling in love with his work during a visit to Barcelona several years prior, and has since continued to seek out his works.
Elizabeth Boyle
Fair Manager US
Elizabeth started working with Affordable Art Fair as a fair assistant in 2013 and now works with exhibitors to make sure it's their best fair yet! She studied Art History at university and, as a result, early Italian Renaissance art has a special place in her heart.
Caitlin Britton
Partnership Manager US
Caitlin joined the team in February 2014 as an intern, before finding her niche in building and maintaining relationships between the fair and innovative brands. She bought her first artwork at an Affordable Art Fair, and it still resides in her very tiny East Village home!
Lenore Koch
Financial Controller US
After working for a fortune 100 company in Finance and Accounting for 22 years, Lenore is delighted to be with the Affordable Art Fair family since 2012. Lenore admires Caribbean Art, especially from Maria Henle and Don Dalke, and enjoys browsing our fair aisles for new finds!
Rupert Harding-Newman
Chief Operating Officer
Rups joined the team in May 2011 as Operations Director and has since also taken on the role of Chief Operating Officer. His passion is the great outdoors: whether trekking through the hills, surfing the seas, or losing himself in his favourite pieces by Nigel Wood, Jonathan Pocock, or Dion Salvador Lloyd.
Billy Hodgins
Chief Financial Officer
As a Chartered Global Management Accountant, Billy has worked at Board level in many diverse industries since qualifying in 1995 and brings a great deal of financial and commercial management experience to the team. When he is not immersed in spreadsheets, Billy can be seen descending down hills in the Scottish Borders on his mountain bike.
Ellen Dewerson
Global Marketing Director
A long time art marketeer, Ellen joined us from Christie’s back in 2007. Since that time she’s been lucky enough to visit lots of our fairs across the world picking up artworks as she goes, although her most recent acquisitions have been bright and fun screenprints for her children’s rooms from local Bristol based artists.
Sarah Lyons
Global Marketing Manager
With a Fine Arts degree and Art Psychotherapy Foundation, Sarah is a fan of both the arts and the psychology of their creation. In her spare time, she can be found at exhibitions, gigs and shows, while at work Sarah puts her 10 years of marketing experience to use as our Global Marketing Manager.
Holly Selby
Head of Digital
Holly joined the team in November 2015 to lead our exciting digital projects forward, after heading up the e-commerce department of boutique clothing brand Cabbages and Roses. Holly studied Illustration at university, and just can’t stop filling her walls with illustrations and etchings! Her most favourite illustrator is Luke Best.
Anna Mesman
Exhibitor Relationship Manager
First joining the Affordable Art Fair team as an intern while studying for her Masters, Anna fell in love with the company and hasn’t left since! Having honed her expertise working as the Amsterdam Fair Manager for 3 years, Anna progressed to become Exhibitor Relationship Manager in 2018, aiming to connect galleries around the globe with our art-loving visitors!
Emma Amato
Lead Global Designer
Emma leads our creative team in producing memorable advertising campaigns and design collateral that wows all over the world. She’s been with us since May 2016, during which time she’s discovered deep, unending passions for Minwoo Sung’s lovely leafy portraits and Pierre Williams’ peeling ceramics.
Lisa Tolliday
Global Designer
Having started her career in arts marketing, Lisa realised that graphic design was where her passion lay and now works with our global teams to produce an array of design materials. When not designing, Lisa can often be found behind her sewing machine or attempting to run up the hills of Bristol!
Rebecca Stanton
E-commerce Marketing Executive
Joining us in June 2016 to work on our global fairs, Rebecca is now bringing her digital marketing expertise to our new, online shop! Rebecca is a passionate photographer, having studied Fine Art at university, she is often found out and about admiring the latest exhibitions, or taking a few snaps of her own.
Stephanie Robinson
Gallery Partnerships Manager
Stephanie joined the team in September 2016 to help galleries navigate our exciting new platform – and having previously worked in galleries herself, she is the perfect person for the job! Stephanie studied Art History at the Courtauld Institute of Art and loves discovering today’s up and coming artists through our partner galleries.
Phoebe Ashworth
Website Manager
Having begun her career in the commercial art world, Phoebe joined the digital team in September 2016 to look after our new website and ensure that our lovely customers are well taken care of. In her spare time, Phoebe is usually found wandering round her favourite galleries, brunching with friends, or perfecting her chaturanga!
OUR MISSION
Affordable Art Fair gives you the opportunity to see, fall in love with, and buy art in a fun and friendly environment. Each fair is fully engaging for aspiring buyers, seasoned collectors and families alike, with all kinds of free talks, workshops and interactive installations taking place, as well as all of the inspiring art - in all shapes, sizes and mediums for you to take home and enjoy for years to come.
Lying at the heart of each of our fairs is the desire to make contemporary art accessible to everyone. Whether you know your Hockneys from your Hirsts, or you simply just enjoy basking in the glory of beautiful scenes, we believe everyone can be an art collector, whatever your taste and budget!
Work with us
Interested in joining the Affordable Art Fair family?
Whether your experience lies in arts and events, or maybe you've a flair for tech and logistics, wherever your skills lie, if you share our desire to make art accessible to all then we’d love to hear from you!
Whether your experience lies in arts and events, or maybe you've a flair for tech and logistics, wherever your skills lie, if you share our desire to make art accessible to all then we’d love to hear from you!
“Best fair team I've ever worked with, and I'm not just saying that. After working with the biggest art fairs in the industry and even the biggest music festival in America, the Affordable Art Fair carries a beautiful balance of enthusiasm, optimism, problem-solving and attentiveness that outshines them all.”
Stick Together Gallery
“The Affordable Art Fairs work extremely hard to market the fair to the right clients and buyers, providing a friendly atmosphere where it's an absolute pleasure to work as well as buy.”
Louise Fitzjohn, Jealous Gallery
Contact us
Fancy getting in touch? Well we’d love to hear from you!
Simply drop us an email via the link below.
Simply drop us an email via the link below.