Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair will be rebranded as the London International Fine Art Fair at Olympia, as part of the innovative joint venture announced today between IFAE and Clarion Events.
Reflecting London’s premier position as a major international cultural destination and Olympia’s 37-year old reputation as a fair offering unparalleled choice and quality of art and antiques at all price points, the new enhanced London International Fine Art Fair will continue to emphasize quality at every level.
David and Lee Ann Lester (the principals of IFAE and organizers of the American International Fine Art Fair, Art Palm Beach, Miami International Art Fair, and SeaFair/the Megayacht Venue) will serve as directors for the Olympia June event with the existing Clarion team providing support to the partnership.
“We are pleased to join with the Lesters to create the type of international fine art event that London deserves and build on the international strategy we started three years ago,” noted Simon Kimble, C.E.O of Clarion Events, a leading global exhibition and event organizer. “David and Lee Ann have a well-earned reputation as innovative, responsive and experienced fair managers with excellent exhibitor relationships.” Clarion Events, the largest independent, top three organizing companies in the U.K., was keen to emphasize that this is a positive evolution for the 37-year-old fair.
“Our goal is to build on and enhance this fair’s long history and make it a centerpiece of London’s June cultural season each year,” said Kent Allen, Clarion Managing Director. “London is a vibrant and beautiful city year round, but especially in June-- and now with the historical Grosvenor House gone, the residents and visitors deserve a major international summer fine art fair.”
The Fair will henceforth be branded as the London International Fine Art Fair at Olympia (LIFAF), reflecting London’s premier position as a major international cultural destination. IFAE and Clarion will use their combined substantial marketing expertise to expand the breadth and number of both exhibitors and attendees each June. The Lesters emphasized, however, the importance of quality in exhibitors and attendees. “It’s not all about numbers,” said David Lester. “The enhanced fair must attract exhibitors of quality, as well as attendees who understand and appreciate that quality.” The fair will cater to its targeted audience of collectors, designers, and curators by offering an event-driven daily schedule.
“All the right components for an international fair have already been established at Olympia,” said Lee Ann Lester. “The Olympia Exhibition Centre is one of Europe’s great historical buildings – like the Grand Palais in Paris -- that were purposely built for exhibitions. Olympia’s arched, dome-shaped glass ceiling provides great advantages for soft, natural lighting and obviously lends itself to elegance. The grand height and scale of the building makes possible a spectacular fair presentation. For 2010, the fair will have a newly redesigned fair interior that reflects style, grace, and elegance-- including a more dramatic entrance, unique V.I.P. space, improved catering and food service throughout and creatively designed common areas.”
“Olympia in June has traditionally offered a fair of unparalleled choice and quality of art and antiques at all price points.” noted Kent Allen, Clarion Events Managing Director. “The new, enhanced London International Fine Art Fair will emphasize quality at every level and will continue to create a market place where all collectors feel comfortable – from novice to expert in experience. It must continue to be a fair of discovery, value, and diversity to serve the broadest range of collectors rather than offering only the most expensive works in every category.”
LIFAF plans a global marketing effort to reach collector groups in the U.K., Russia, India, the Middle East, North and South America and Asia. Plans include a major multi-media marketing programme, which will include print media, direct mail, broadcast media-- as well as a presence on new online web, mobile and social networking sites in order to target the newly-affluent, younger demographic. Cultural, philanthropic and charitable organizations will also be cultivated to enhance the breadth and quality of attendees.
Dealers will also be served by a new Dealer’s Communication Program, which includes assistance with sales before and after the fair. The Lesters are recognized for their ability to communicate with their exhibitor clients and anticipate substantial and regular communication. “Every fair must offer true ‘value for money’ to both exhibitors and collectors in this time of economic frugality,” noted Lee Ann Lester. “We are committed to providing a commercially successful fair experience for Olympia’s dealer-clients, and we recognize that the majority must have economic success each year for the event to grow and prosper.”
A further press release including details of the working partnership and new initiatives for the June event will be released week of 20/07/09.
For further information, contact:
David Lester
dlester@ifae.com • +1 239 949 5411
Simon Kimble
simon.kimble@clarionevents.com • +44 20 7370 8343
Marilyn White
mwhitePR@aol.com • +1 973 783 3649
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