The Other Art Fair will take over two sites in London next month, one of which will be dedicated entirely to women artists. This year the annual art event will also host Not 30%, a fair which features an all-female line-up of 30 artists. Its name is derived from the estimation that, despite women making up 60 per cent of art graduates, women artists only consist up to 30 per cent of gallery collections, representations, and exhibitions. The selection of artists has been curated by arts broadcaster Kate Bryan, who has described the addressing of gender imbalance in the art world as part of an “urgent dialogue”. “Not 30% draws attention to the stark gender bias of the art world and actively positions these artists as a creative force not to be ignored.” The Not 30% fair will take place at the Old Central Saint Martins, an additional site to the main art fair at Victoria House, also in Holborn. The Other Art Fair offers artists the opportunity to exhibit and sell work at a fair independently, without requiring representation from a gallery and therefore not needing to pay commission on their sales. Artists featured in Not 30% include Sky Arts Portrait Artists of the Year 2018 Samira Addo, illustrator Hattie Stewart and award-winning artist Sarah Maple, as well as feminist tattoo group Femme Fatale, who will be running a pop-up poke tattoo studio.
The 2018 London Other Art Fair will be held at two locations, with one dedicated to female artists. The Not 30% fair derives its name from the fact it has been estimated that while women account for 60% of art graduates, only 30% of gallery stock and exhibitions are the work of female artists. The fair will showcase the work of 29 artists, including the 2018 Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year, Samira Addo. The exhibition is being curated by artist and curator Sarah Jones, who said: “Women artists have always had a difficult time getting their works seen in galleries or on display outside of galleries. The other location is Victoria House in Holborn. The events take place in October.