Are your walls looking a little bare? Are you looking for a few interesting additions to your collection? The Other Art Fair is the place to be.
Launching a global showcase of events across Australia, the US, and the UK, The Other Art Fair is due to kickstart 2025’s arts calendar in Melbourne come 30 January.
Presented by Saatchi Art, the worldwide e-commerce platform for high-quality prints and original works, The Other Art Fair marks itself as a hub for art lovers and curious creatives to discover new works by more than 100 independent artists. The fair makes its return to Melbourne once again after a brief hiatus, following its last appearance in 2022.
The Other Art Fair
- The Timber Yard, 351 Plummer St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
- Thursday 30 January to Sunday 2 February 2025
- Tickets are on sale now
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Attendees at this year’s fair – hosted in The Timber Yard, just outside the CBD – can expect a huge range of artistic disciplines on display, including photography, digital art, sculpture, and painting.
Luke Potkin, Fair Director for Australia, expresses great excitement for the expo’s return to Melbourne, one of the country’s leading lights for emerging and independent artists.
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“As the city continues to evolve as a cultural powerhouse known for its passion, innovation, and deep ties to the arts,” he asserts.
“The Other Art Fair is at the forefront of making art truly accessible to everyone. We can’t wait to see how the community will engage with the diverse talent as it returns to Melbourne in full swing, ready to ignite the city’s art scene with fresh energy and creativity.”
Attendees at the Melbourne opener of the fair, taking place from 30 January to 2 February 2025, will have plenty to look forward to, with a range of art stalls, performances, bespoke dance space, and a designated bar.
A standout attraction of this year’s fair will be the foot-stamping excitement of the “rave cave”, a separate world within the venue in which all areas of sound, image, art, and music come together in one dazzling showcase.
Created in partnership with public arts organisation Just Another Agency, the artwork of Melbourne-based street artist Mysterious Al promises to stimulate the senses in a series of interactive tunnels, creating a wall-to-wall artistic experience.
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The combination of dynamic visuals and adaptive lighting synchronised with purpose-made audio design promises a unique atmosphere unlike anything else at a conventional arts expo. The rave cave will entice all who enter to explore, dance, and lose themselves in the bold, original work of the London-born street artist Mysterious Al.
Art buyers can opt for professional framing of their prints and original pieces at the time of purchase for an added cost, with Fantastic Framing also offering free wrapping services.
Beyond that, merchandise on sale will include prints exclusive to this year’s fair, in a collaboration between Fitzroy-based print specialists The Print Bar and groundbreaking domestic violence charity Dangerous Females.
In line with the advocacy spirit of the fair’s overall mission statement, all proceeds from merchandise sales will go directly to support Dangerous Females’ ambition to protect all women from violence.
Anticipation for the four-day event is equally driven by the artists exhibiting their work as it is by the creative directors pulling everything together.
Prolific mixed-media artist Steve Leadbeater, known for striking canvas works that explore a wild imagination paired with a propensity to shock, says this year’s presentation at the fair represents a long-held dream.
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“For years I’ve enjoyed watching artists from around the world share their craft with wider audiences,” he says, “both in-person and online. They all seem to level up, and never look back. It’s so inspiring! Now it’s my turn.”
The rich, frenetic character of Melbourne’s arts scene is a major pull factor for those sharing their work at The Other Art Fair. This year proves no exception for Colombian fine arts painter Katherine Gailer, whose Latin American-inspired work can be found in murals across the city.
Melbourne’s cultural diversity is what draws together such a variety of local artistic expression, she says.
“Art, like living organisms, thrives on movement, and The Other Art Fair is the perfect place to nurture that dynamic energy. I am excited to activate a space and connect with a vibrant community of creatives and collectors.”
For anyone who loves art, or just wants a new obsession for their Instagram search feed, The Other Art Fair is the best place for Melbournians to scout new and emerging creatives.
The Other Art Fair is giving away a voucher worth $1000 and two free tickets. To enter the competition, head here.
