Buy Art Fair, inspired by the burgeoning appetite of art lovers and support of new and revamped Northern cultural institutions, to deliver most ambitious art fair outside London

Manchester’s Buy Art Fair, the leading art fair outside London, returns refreshed and revitalised to Old Granada Studios on 24-27 September 2015. Now in its eighth year, the fair will bring together even more galleries and artists for the tens of thousands of art lovers who have spent over £2.5m on art at the event since 2008.

A refreshed brand inspired by ‘salon hanging’, the way buyers often display art in their homes, and a host of new developments and additions for 2015 will cement Buy Art Fair’s place in the cultural Northern Powerhouse. Buy Art Fair CEO Thom Hetherington proclaims it will offer visitors “the richest and most compelling art-buying experience yet, whether they are curious first-timers or seasoned collectors.”

The New York Times named Manchester one of its coveted ‘52 places to go in 2015’ after a flurry of cultural openings in the city. The only UK destination to make the list, Buy Art Fair has carried on this momentum and will expand to host three separate spaces which reflect the changing dynamics of the art world and offer a varied experience for art buyers.

  • Buy Art Fair will continue to showcase the finest galleries from the UK and abroad, representing both up-and-coming talent and the biggest established names

  • The Manchester Contemporary, offering critically engaged art from emerging artists represented by a curated selection of galleries and supported with public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

  • The new Artist’s Studio will feature a carefully chosen selection of over thirty individual artists to deliver the broadest and most balanced mix of styles yet

“The art world does not stand still,” says Thom Hetherington, reflecting on the new developments. “Therefore we have to be just as dynamic in the ways that we offer interaction between art buyers, artists, gallerists and curators. Old Granada Studios is a raw, exciting space that cries out for innovation and creativity and we are confident that we have responded”.

He continues: “Manchester’s cultural renaissance is undeniable, led by Manchester International Festival, Whitworth Art Gallery and HOME, along with smaller spaces like Castlefield Gallery. It is a momentum that is happening across the North and I think our art buyers, who come from across the region, feel proud and excited not only to have the chance to acquire wonderful pieces of art but also to be part of the process of supporting and nurturing the arts scene up here.”

Buy Art Fair 2015 will be the best yet with plenty for those who simply enjoy engaging with great art, as well as those coming to buy. This year’s line up includes a programme of cultural talks and conversations, a top-notch food and drink offering from Living Ventures, music and live performances, print workshops and artists painting live, guest installations, guided tours of The Manchester Contemporary, as well as the chance to hang before you buy in bespoke room sets. There’s even a concierge service to help buyers find the right piece.

Visitors can combine a browse around Buy Art Fair with the chance to get out and explore the city’s cultural offerings, from big names to hidden gems, with an official art trail map. Exclusive special offers to discover Manchester’s growing food scene will make the fair a true occasion.

With just fifteen weeks until the North’s largest art fair opens its doors, Hetherington has one piece of advice for potential buyers: “Do your research ahead of time. Images of all of the art from all our artists and galleries will be listed on the Buy Art Fair and The Manchester Contemporary websites by late Summer, and if you know who and what you are coming to see then it makes the experience so much easier and more productive when you walk through the door.

“Aside from that, don’t agonise. If you love it and you can afford it, just buy it!”