Frieze Art Fair – 13-16 October 2011
An action-packed, colourful and profitable behemoth of an event, the Frieze Art Fair comes to London every October and out comes the art. Organized in both London and New York, this year's UK edition features 173 of the world's most captivating contemporary art galleries showcasing the work of over 1000 artists from 33 countries, ranging from up-and-coming creators in developing countries to the big guns of the Western hemisphere. This is contemporary art at it's most exciting and eclectic, so if you were hoping to buy a poor man’s Monet or a Renaissance era portrait to go over your fireplace then this is not the place to be.  However, if you’re into the exploration of expression in all its forms, from pictures to sculptures to live art, the work here will be of interest.
    Highlights of this year's program include the work of Stuttgart-basedAnahita Razmi, an award-winning performance artist presents a video installation of rooftop dances that intends to draw attention to how Tehran's skyline as used by protestors after the presidential election in Iran. Emerging galleries from Asia and South America will vie for viewers attention, alongside a strong European and American contingent. Ones to look out for include Mihail Gallery from Bucharest, Mumbai's Project 88 and Istanbul's Rodeo gallery. The Sculpture Park, poised within the English Garden of Regent's park, presents the work of internationally-acclaimed sculptors, including the new works by Claudia Fontes, Tome Friedman, Thomas Houseago and Kiki Smit.
    Frieze is a great place for inspiration, but ultimately it is also a place for the galleries to do business, so if you’re interested in what you see you should talk to the gallery representation.  Frieze has been going on for several years and has turned into massive week-long event, so allow yourself plenty of time to look around and bring a thick notebook for jotting down the names to follow up and look out for. The fair takes place in Regent’s Park, the vast expanse in North London next to Camden which also holds London Zoo.  From Thursday 13 until Saturday 15 it runs from midday until 7pm, and on the Sunday the hours are midday until 6pm.  Full price, one-day tickets are £27, although you can get various discounts and concessions for booking in advance, the full list of which can be found on their website, www.friezeartfair.com.

Affordable Art Fair – 20-23 and 27-30 October 2011
This is perhaps the other end of the scale, or maybe it’s just a different way of doing things.  The Affordable Art Fair was created to cater for those who love art and want to have it in their homes as a reflection of their interests and taste, but really can’t afford “art world” prices for it.  Few can.  And so the Affordable Art Fair is in place to provide “affordable art” from over 100 galleries to cater for slightly lower salaries.  Remember, when talking about lower prices, it is all relative, but there is a cap on art prices of £4,000.  That’s the absolute most any piece can be, but having said that you won’t find anything for under £50 here.
    There are two venues for the Affordable Art Fair: from the 20-23 Battersea Park in Southwest London will be hosting the event, and the following weekend will see Hampstead Heath in North London taking the reins from 27-30 October.  There is a mix of work, mostly contemporary, with plenty of paintings and drawings on display.  Hours are basically 11am-6pm with a late opening on Thursdays for both venues.  Full price tickets on the door are £12 midweek and £15 on weekends, but book in advance or claim a concession and the price drops a little.  Parents should be aware that the Affordable Art Fair provides a crèche for children between 2 and 10, so you don’t have to drag them around with you.  The Affordable Art Fair actually happens twice a year: in Autumn and also in Spring, around March time, so if you miss it this time round keep your eyes peeled for future dates.
www.affordableartfair.com

SCOPE London - 13-16 October 2011

After a two year hiatus watching the world's art fair bounce back, SCOPE London 2011 returns to the British capital's dynamic East End arts and media quarter. An alternative platform for presenting international contemporary art, this International Contemporary Art Show features an energetic mix of artists working in a multitude of medias. This year's line-up sees Arab artist BB Chokra putting on a vibrant spectacle, a short film by Russian director Kon Trubkovich and large installation involving painted wood, LED lights and recycled sun. All of this, and much more, is set to turn the Old Truman Brewery, a historic 11 acre site on Brick Lane, into a centre of creative cool this October.
www.scope-art.com/index.php/london/