The upcoming edition of the Chelsea Antiques and Fine Art Fair, previously scheduled for November, will no longer take place.
The event was a new slot for the Chelsea schedule and the dates clashed with the Winter Art & Antique Fair Olympia.
The Chelsea event is owned and run by 2Covet, which took over the fair in 2021 and held its first staging in September that year. The second took place in March this year – a return to its usual slot in the calendar for the long-running fair.
Extra date
The November date was an addition with the plan to run two events a year.
The organisers are currently in discussion with dealers to commit to the next date, proposed for March 2023.
2Covet said: “It is no surprise that the uncertain times faced by parts of our industry and indeed the world’s economy have resulted in a significant downturn in the dealers’ ability and desire to commit to events such as Chelsea.
“Given this downturn in exhibitor numbers and despite the best ef forts of the organisers, we felt it would be disingenuous to both our exhibitors and visitors to continue to host the fair in its current form.”
Tickets accepted
A number of dealers who had planned to show at Chelsea have taken late spots at Olympia.
Andrew Muir and James Miles, Kaye Michie Fine Art, Timewise Vintage Watches, Philip Carroll, Mark Goodger, John Robertson, T Robert and Jacksons Antique are the latest dealers signed up to exhibit at the W14 venue.
Mary Claire Boyd, fair director at Olympia said of the close of the Chelsea fair: “To lose an event three weeks before opening is tough.
“Most of the dealers who have now come into Olympia have exhibited with us before and we are pleased to welcome them back and deliver a strong event for our dealers.”
As many of the dealers had already sent out tickets to clients, Chelsea tickets will be accepted at the Winter Art & Antique Fair Olympia.
