Guide to Buying Art: The Emerging Collector’s Edition
Learn some practical tips on how to start collecting art, with an inside sneak peek from our Fair Manager’s own collection.
Affordable Art Fair
Friday 15 August, 2025
Guide to Buying Art: The Emerging Collector’s Edition
Eager to take your first step into the wonderful world of collecting art? At the Affordable Art Fair we love nothing more than inspiring people to buy original artworks, including the next generation of emerging collectors. With all art between 900SEK – 90,000SEK at our upcoming Stockholm fair, now is your time to start!
But how can you start collecting while developing your taste in art? With practical art tips and an inside sneak peek from our Fair Manager Lovisa Smyth Vasseur’s own collection, we’re here to guide you on your journey.
Over to Lovisa!
1. Visit an Affordable Art Fair
To us, affordable isn’t just our namesake. While strolling through Affordable Art Fair Stockholm keep an eye out for the dedicated Under SEK stickers dotted around the fair. We have three different stickers and maps based on if you’re looking for art under 1500 SEK, under 5000 SEK or under 10,000 SEK. Your first artwork doesn’t have to break the bank and with thousands of artworks priced between 900SEK – 90,000SEK there are artworks for every taste, space and spend to be found at the fair.
“Earlier this year, I visited a gallery in Cape Town and came across a beautiful bronze sculpture of a little girl blowing a golden chewing gum bubble. I was completely taken by its playful, mischievous spirit, and was even more intrigued to learn from the gallerist that the artist had drawn inspiration from Degas’ Little Dancer. I didn’t purchase it at the time, as I was travelling with only hand luggage and couldn’t take it with me. Fortunately, the gallery will be exhibiting at the fair in October, so I’m hoping to be reunited with the sculpture then!”
A must-see during your own visit to Affordable Art Fair Stockholm, is The Artist Gallery Cape Town, who’s also our Charity Partner this year. A portion of every artwork sold will be donated to the Emerging Artists Development Trust, supporting the next generation of creative voices and contributing to a more sustainable future for artists in South Africa.
2. Explore the whole gallery space
Don’t worry, if you don’t see an artwork in your price bracket right away, art collecting is akin to a treasure hunt and that perfect artwork may be just around the corner.
“I’ve been a fan of Christina Julsgaard’s pieces for years, and love the bold colours, abstract shapes, as well as the softness in them. Unfortunately, they were out of my price range, and I added them to my ‘one day, I’ll buy these artworks‘ list. Then two years ago, I found out that she had smaller limited editions as well. Not only were these pieces in my price range, but the framed drawings and paintings were small and sturdy enough to pop in a suitcase (as I live in Zimbabwe). Many galleries you visit may have an alternative space with smaller artworks, or a stockroom filled with art not yet on the wall.”
Much like their usual brick and mortar spaces, galleries have their own stockrooms at Affordable Art Fairs with artworks of different sizes and mediums. If you’re interested in an artist’s works and want to explore other price points and sizes, don’t be afraid to ask the exhibitors for a peek behind the curtain!
3. Watch out for artist sketches
Artist sketches are an excellent and cost-effective way for an emerging collector to start acquiring an artists’ body of work before you’re ready to invest in larger statement pieces. As your confidence and budget grows, you can gradually develop your art collection.
“I had the pleasure of discovering Julius Nordvinter’s drawings at the fair last year. After seeing his works at Mankovsky Gallery and at the fair the past years, I was overjoyed to snap up a sketch of his, as the larger works are out of my price range.”
4. Browse the print racks
As an original art fair, Affordable Art Fairs are jam-packed with a diverse range of mediums, including limited edition prints. Whether you’re interested in screenprint, linos, or digital collage, you can discover a myriad of artworks on our exhibitors’ stands!
This vibrant limited edition print by Anna Ileby from the Galleri Mats Bergman’s stand at our Stockholm fair was in a print rack and was a must-have piece.
The experience of flipping through the plethora of original prints only made the discovery process more exciting.
When visiting Affordable Art Fair Stockholm in October, keep an eye out for the print racks in the exhibitor stands as they are a place to find gems on paper.
5. Hone your eye and develop your taste
Ultimately, the best way to start your art collection is to start learning what you like, and what better way to do this than to visit an Affordable Art Fair? At the upcoming Stockholm fair, the 75 local and international exhibitors will be presenting the works of 500+ artists with thousands of artworks available. There is no better way to see art for every taste, space and spend under one roof.
When strolling through the aisles, don’t be afraid to photograph the artworks that catch your eye and consider what you like about them. Art is a personal experience, and you should trust in your gut feeling about a work you love. Grab a coffee or wine with fellow emerging collectors in our Wine bar, Cafe or Restaurant to muse over the art, but don’t take too long as the artworks certainly fly off the walls during the fair.
Building an art collection takes time, so enjoy the process of discovering new galleries, artists and pieces. With time you will develop your own taste, space and preferences for artworks.
6. Discover: Fresh At The Fair
One of this year’s most exciting additions is the debut of the special project Fresh at the Fair – a curated section dedicated to bold and affordable contemporary artworks. Developed in collaboration with Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar, founder of The Art Bystander, this new feature showcases emerging voices, fresh perspectives, and artists exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair for the first time.
This special section presents eight carefully selected artists exhibiting at the fair for the very first time: Valtýr Daregard, Josefin Tolstoy, Gustav Hjelmgren, Cajsa Wessberg, Mattias Storm, Zahra Holm, Robert Möllard and Eva Zethraeu.
So, come join us at the Affordable Art Fair in Stockholm, from 1 – 5 October, and take the first step towards becoming an art collector. With 75+ exhibitors and 1000s of artworks, you’re sure to find something that captivates your heart and suits your budget.
Author