Exhibitor career profile: Olivia Connelly

We sat down with Olivia Connelly, owner and founder of Olivia Connelly Gallery, at the Battersea Fair to learn more about her gallery and how she has grown her business with Affordable Art Fair.

So, Olivia, tell us a bit about the history of your gallery.

I started the gallery in 2006 and then moved to London in 2008. We did our first fair in 2006 in London and picked Affordable Art Fair because there was a reputation for getting people through the door which meant a huge amount of exposure for us and the artists we represent.

At the Battersea fair you get 18,000 people through the door in a week and you just don’t get those numbers in the gallery.

We have now moved away from having a physical gallery space of our own and just operate online and through fairs. Our fair presence has grown with Affordable Art Fair. I started out with a small stand and different artists and have since honed the style of a much larger stand.

A benefit of doing this many fairs is that you also learn about the people that come through the door. We’ve gained knowledge about, for example, which day will be a certain artists day and thus we can focus our presentation on particular key works. A lighter hang has certainly benefitted us through the years.

What else have you learned over the years?

I think the most important thing I have learned is that you have to speculate to accumulate. We always go for a bigger stand as the works really need to have breathing space. As people walk past, they feel like they can veer into a larger stand, but may just walk past a smaller one as they feel more exposed. For us, more floor space and wall space really works – you need space around the artwork.

I’ve also learned not to be afraid to re-hang. Hang your stand in a way that looks good to you, but make changes if it isn’t going your way – make sure to go with the flow of the fair. I always keep an eye on which other stands visitors are walking into!

Some of your artists have very different styles, how do you make sure to have a cohesive stand?

I curate my stand with one artist per wall, so we have to consider how each of the artworks on that wall work together but also with the whole composition.

I do think that some of this comes from the relationship we have with the artists. I have represented all of them from the early days of their careers and so the relationship we have is as important as the work they do. When selling their art, you are selling a piece of their soul, and you have to be able to talk about the artist with clients and be able to tie their personalities in with the work. This will help you in your first challenge of making a cohesive presentation.

Have you done only London fairs? What makes you keep coming back to Affordable Art Fair?

We have mostly focused on London fairs to really get a foothold here, but we have also exhibited at Affordable Art Fair New York in 2019 and are returning in 2023.

We’ll keep coming back as we have more room to grow here. I feel we have cracked the code to which presentations are working here, giving us the opportunity to move into new markets with the brand.

I keep coming back as it’s a lot of fun at the fairs. There is a great atmosphere and, as a team, we have a lot of fun. It’s a great place to talk about art. I like the branding of Affordable Art Fair and the way it’s run. There used to be a bit of snobbishness about it but, after the crash in 2008, you guys were the only ones still making sales! Will’s ethos really shines through the team and the atmosphere of the fair.

Of all the fairs you have done, do you have a favourite moment?

It would have to be the first fair after the pandemic in 2021. We had an amazing record-breaking fair. After such a hard period, it felt like everyone – gallerists, staff and visitors –were all so happy to be back. There was such a joyful atmosphere. It’s such an unbeatable feeling when people develop an emotional connection to our artists work. The moment when someone falls in love with an artist is very special. It almost feels like a dating agency where we are matching people with the art they love and want in their home.

Do you have any advice for newer galleries?

Don’t be scared of going bigger on the stand, and don’t hang too much. Make sure to give the visitors and the artwork plenty of space. The less we have on the wall, the more we sell.

Thank you so much, Olivia, for sitting down with us, and we’ll see you in 2023!

Main image: A Gustavo Ortiz artwork from Olivia Connelly Gallery on its way to be wrapped at Affordable Art Fair Battersea Autumn 2022.