The Other Art Fair is a four-day pop-up where independent artists showcase and sell their work inside Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
It’s run by Saatchi Art and positioned as the approachable alternative to the usual fantastically out-of-my-price-range art fairs. There will be thousands of original artworks, and many of them will be priced in the low hundreds. Plus, you’ll actually be able to meet the artists who created them.
For client entertainment, Thursday is opening night and will have the launch-party energy with immersive installations, live performances, a DJ, food trucks, and a fully stocked bar.
This one intrigued me as an affordable option where everyone maintains a degree of autonomy as they wander around with a drink and take in artwork. Barker Hangar is a former airplane hangar off Santa Monica Airport and, alongside all the artwork, creates an impressive backdrop if your group is into grabbing photos and videos to post.
Location: Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Date: September 24-27
Opening Night, Thursday, September 24, 6 to 10 PM
Cost:
Opening night: $55 in advance (through September 18), $60 on-site after
General admission ($20 to $25) is Friday to Sunday only.
Original art starts in the low hundreds.
Parking: On-site parking is $20
Food and drink: On-site bar and local food trucks.
Added value: As a smooth operator in my broke 20s, I used to go to art gallery openings as a way to seem classy, get free wine, and impress a date. Those days are long in the past, but I still find these types of events a great conversational backdrop to pleasant and relatively self-guided evenings.
The Other Art Fair