Art for good: The Affordable Art Fair 2023 gives back to the community

CONTENT: Medina Razali

This year’s Affordable Art Fair 2023, which recently concluded on 12 November was a great success. Drawing a total of 16,000 visitors and achieving its highest record sales of S$5 million, this year’s edition saw a total of 750 artists from 81 local and international galleries, housing 20 different countries under one roof.

The Affordable Art Fair wasn’t just your ordinary art fair — it was a socially conscious initiative, supporting various philanthropic efforts while making art more accessible to the wider community.

Ahead, a rundown of the key highlights of the fair that truly made a difference:

1) Singapore Cancer Society

Art psychotherapy is a discipline that is highly undervalued in Singapore. Often mistaken with art as therapy, art psychotherapy is actually a form of psychotherapy that combines art with psychotherapy sessions. At the Singapore Cancer Society, art psychotherapy programs are offered, aimed at helping patients cope with cancer.

This year, the Singapore Cancer Society was the fair’s official charity partner. They raised public awareness on art psychotherapy at the Affordable Art Fair through a series of workshops. Attendees could try their hand at creating their own alcohol ink coasters or mug making, where they learned more about the connection between art and mental wellness. The proceeds from the workshops were channeled towards supporting cancer patients.

2) ART:DIS

Making its first appearance at the Affordable Art Fair was ART:DIS, a local non-profit organisation that uses art as a platform to provide opportunities for persons with disabilities. At the Affordable Art Fair, ART:DIS showcased the works of seven artists, including emerging talents like Noah Tan and Christian Lee, as well as seasoned artists such as Eugene Soh and Raymond Lau. Through the Affordable Art Fair, ART:DIS was able to increase the visibility of artists with disabilities in the contemporary art scene.

3) Arty-Licious Evening

A highlight of the Affordable Art Fair 2023 was the Arty-Licious Evening, a vibrant charity initiative celebrating the arts with a night of festivities. In collaboration with the Singapore Cancer Society, a portion of proceeds from every ticket was channeled towards supporting cancer patients.