Art
Frieze London
London, United Kingdom
London · October · Subject to availability
Mid October — dates to be confirmed
London's art week, run from two temporary structures in Regent's Park, with the city's entire market moving in step for five days.
Frieze occupies two purpose-built pavilions in Regent's Park: the contemporary fair on one side of the park and Frieze Masters, which covers everything from antiquities to the late twentieth century, on the other. The pairing is the reason the week works. A collector can consider a Roman bronze and a work made this year within a twenty-minute walk, and a significant proportion of visitors do exactly that. Around the fairs, London reorganises itself. The auction houses schedule their major contemporary evening sales to the same week, Mayfair and the East End galleries open their strongest exhibitions, and the institutions time their autumn programmes to match. For anyone whose collecting spans periods, it is the most efficient week in the European calendar, and the least demanding to attend, since the city functions normally throughout.
- Month
- October
- Recommended stay
- 4 nights
- Nearest airports
- LTN · LCY
- Typical clientele
- British and international collectors across periods, advisers and gallery principals, museum trustees and curators, and family offices whose holdings span antiquities, modern and contemporary work.
Why it matters
The evening auctions held in the same week make Frieze the pivot of the European autumn market, and the results set the tone for the season. The presence of both fairs, the salerooms and the gallery programme in one city over five days allows a collector to compare across periods and markets in a way that a single fair cannot support. London's infrastructure also means the week can be attended without any material disruption to other business.
How access is arranged
Preview attendance is determined by the fairs and the exhibiting galleries. Scott & Vale makes introductions to advisers, galleries and salerooms where such relationships exist, upon request and subject to availability, and coordinates travel, accommodation and the week's schedule.
Scott & Vale coordinates travel, accommodation, ground and air movement, security, dining and itinerary design around this occasion, and makes introductions to authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist. The firm does not sell, allocate, resell or guarantee admission.
Hospitality and travel
Where to stay
- Claridge's
- The Connaught
- The Berkeley
- Chiltern Firehouse
- The Ned
Properties are listed as editorial guidance. Scott & Vale holds no inventory and no claimed relationship with any property named here.
Arrival by air
- LTN — London Luton The principal business aviation gateway; thirty-five minutes to central London by road.
- LCY — London City Closest to the centre, with restrictions on aircraft type and steep approach certification.
Helicopter. Of limited value within London itself. Ground movement is the practical means of crossing the city during the fair week, with journeys planned around the evening sales.
Dining
- The Ritz Restaurant
- Kitchen Table
- Bellamy's
- Mount St. Restaurant
- Brutto
Reservations are requested on a member's behalf, subject to availability.
Suggested itinerary
- 01 Day One Arrival and an evening in Mayfair, where the gallery programme opens ahead of the fairs.
- 02 Day Two The Frieze Masters preview in the morning and the contemporary fair in the afternoon, walking between the two through the park.
- 03 Day Three Second viewings, then an evening sale at one of the salerooms, which is the commercial centre of the week.
- 04 Day Four The East End galleries and an institutional exhibition, followed by dinner and departure the next morning.
Scott & Vale support
- Private Jet
- Commercial First Class
- Luxury Hotels
- Luxury Chauffeur
- Private Guides
- Restaurant Reservations
- Personal Concierge
- Family Office Coordination
Enquiry
Plan this properly, and plan it early.
An enquiry reaches the team directly with the context of this entry attached. A member of the team will respond within the hour, wherever you are.
Frequently asked
Which of the two fairs is more relevant?
It depends entirely on the collection. Masters covers antiquities through the twentieth century; the contemporary fair covers current production. Most serious collectors visit both.
How do the auctions relate to the fairs?
The major contemporary evening sales are scheduled to the same week deliberately. Attending both requires an itinerary planned around fixed sale times.
Is London manageable during the week?
Yes. Unlike most events on this calendar, the city absorbs the fair without disruption; the only constraint is the concentration of dinners in Mayfair.
What does Scott & Vale arrange?
Travel, accommodation, ground movement, dining and the week's schedule, with introductions to advisers, galleries and salerooms where such relationships exist.
Related events
Direct: info@scottnvale.com
Event names, marks and logos referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners. Scott & Vale is not an official partner, supplier or licensee of any event, organiser or rights holder named here, and no affiliation is implied. Scott & Vale does not sell, allocate, resell or guarantee admission to any event. Travel, accommodation, ground and air movement, security, dining and itinerary design are arranged around these events, and introductions are made to authorised hospitality providers where such programmes exist.
Photography: Garry Knight from London, England — CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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