Tag: Minor Attractions

Minor Attractions is a London art fair founded in 2023 as an alternative to the conventional art-fair model, bringing contemporary art into direct conversation with nightlife, performance, music, film and publishing. Taking place during Frieze Week, the fair invites international commercial galleries and not-for-profit spaces to present emerging and experimental artists within a deliberately more social and informal environment.

Rather than reproducing the traditional white-booth format, Minor Attractions places artists and community at the centre of the experience, creating a meeting point for galleries, collectors, artists, writers and the wider creative scene. Its programme encourages participating galleries to take risks with their presentations while performances, screenings, music and late-night events blur the boundaries between an art fair and a cultural festival. Entry to the main fair has also been free, reinforcing its ambition to make the energy surrounding London’s major art week accessible beyond established collecting circles.

The fair has grown rapidly since its launch. Its 2025 edition at The Mandrake welcomed more than 15,000 visitors, while its expanding programme has extended beyond the October fair through projects including Summer Sessions, a multi-venue London festival devoted to emerging music, performance, publishing and film. Minor Attractions returns to The Mandrake for its 2026 edition from 13–17 October, continuing its attempt to reshape what a contemporary art fair can look and feel like.