Affordable Art Fair Austin Returns With Art That Gives Back
Four local artists will paint live during the fair’s Friday and Saturday evenings, with proceeds benefiting Dell Children’s Art & Music Therapy Program
The Affordable Art Fair Austin will return to Palmer Events Center from May 14–17, with 57 galleries from around the world and a new partnership benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center’s Art and Music Therapy program. The fair, now in its third year in Austin, will feature original contemporary works priced from $100 to $12,000. This year’s lineup includes 24 local galleries, the highest number the Austin fair has hosted so far.
“We specialize in affordable artworks within the greater range of the art industry,” said Cori Teague, the fair’s Texas director. “We focus on emerging living artists, galleries, and kind of that first ecosystem of art fairs and art collecting.”
During Art After Hours events on Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m., Austin artists Ash Almonte, Mila Sketch, Jet Baker and Karen Goddard will create original works on-site. Each artist has previously worked with Dell Children’s Art and Music Therapy program.
Art of giving
The collaboration grew out of a relationship that began last year, when one participating gallery donated artwork to Dell Children’s. After attending the hospital’s annual Art of Giving fundraiser and learning more about its therapeutic work, Affordable Art Fair organizers began looking for additional ways to get involved.
“We have been trying to figure out a way to work with them for three years now,” Teague said in regards to Dell Children’s. “It’s almost like, ‘how does it not align with the fair’s mission?’ I focus so much on working with the local communities for each fair, and it’s really important to foster what we have here in our city.”
Visitors will be able to watch the artists at work. Once completed, each artwork will be raffled to attendees who donate on-site, with all proceeds directly benefiting Dell Children’s Art & Music therapy program.
“You’ll get to learn about local and international artists, and also what they will be doing with their art therapy,” Teague said. “It brings everything full circle — the local aspect, the community, the artists and what they are doing with the hospital.”
A philanthropic collaboration
For Sketch, who has worked with the program for five years, the initiative reflects the very real role art can play in healthcare settings.
“I love the mission,” she said. “We can see that art can really heal people, and that’s amazing. We have proof of it with the Dell Children’s program.”
She recalled attending this year’s Art of Giving fundraiser and seeing children who had not left their rooms for days come out because they were drawn to the artists and creative activity.
“As an artist, it’s wonderful,” Sketch said. “You can help with your art. It’s inspiring.”
Originally from northern Russia and based in Austin for the past decade, Sketch will participate in Affordable Art Fair for the first time after previously attending as a visitor. Her work explores the intersection of nature, urbanism and technology across murals, fine art and augmented reality.
Making art more accessible
In addition to the live painting events, the fair will offer a private view on Thursday for returning and established collectors, Art After Hours on Friday and Saturday geared toward newer buyers, and Family Hours on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“We want to make the art fair experience accessible to everybody,” Teague said. “It’s not just for established collectors, it’s about creating new collectors as well.”
Teague hopes this initiative will bring more awareness to the hospital’s work. “They have such a wonderful program,” Teague says. “The more exposure, the better — and just really getting more of the community behind it.”
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