Art, energy and a city ready to collect: Affordable Art Fair Brisbane

Affordable Art Fair Brisbane has wrapped for 2026 and, once again, the city showed up in force for art.

Across four vibrant days at the Brisbane Showgrounds, more than 14,500 visitors explored works from 57 galleries, with over 3,300 artworks purchased across the weekend — from first-time buys to major collector acquisitions.

Returning to Brisbane for its third edition, the Fair has quickly cemented itself as one of the city’s most anticipated cultural events, bringing together contemporary artists, collectors, curators and curious newcomers in an atmosphere that feels as social as it does creative.

This year’s program featured galleries from across Australia, live artist demonstrations, emerging talent showcases and interactive experiences alongside a strong representation of First Nations artists and regional galleries.

Aruga proudly led national communications and publicity for the Brisbane Fair for the third consecutive year, delivering 269 pieces of media coverage and reaching an audience of more than 5.2 million Australians across print, digital, radio and social platforms.

The agency also continues as PR lead for Affordable Art Fair Melbourne and Sydney, supporting the growing national footprint of one of the world’s most recognised contemporary art fair brands.

Aruga Senior Account Director and project lead Beth Uttley said the continued growth of the Fair reflects a broader shift in how audiences engage with art and culture.

“Affordable Art Fair is one of the rare cultural events that genuinely transcends audience types,” Uttley said.

“You see seasoned collectors standing beside people buying their very first artwork, families spending Mother’s Day together, young creatives, corporate crowds, designers, tourists — everyone wants to be part of it.

“There’s also something the visiting galleries consistently say to us year after year: the energy in Brisbane feels different.”

“There’s an excitement, openness and enthusiasm here that’s incredibly unique, not just within Australia, but across the global Affordable Art Fair network,” Uttley said.

“You can feel people falling in love with art in real time, and for us, that’s what it’s all about — more art in more places, shared with more people.”

Missed Brisbane? Affordable Art Fair heads to Melbourne and Sydney later this year, continuing its mission to connect more people with contemporary art across Australia. For more information, visit affordableartfair.com