The Other Art Fair is making its Atlanta debut this week, bringing more than 100 artists to Enspire Mercantile in Chosewood Park for a four-day event where shoppers can walk away with original artwork for as little as $200. Running Thursday through Sunday, the fair pitches itself as a direct-to-consumer alternative to traditional galleries, letting artists sell straight to buyers without a middleman.
Among the artists selling work is Stone Mountain-based Angela Lanell, who began a series titled “The Weight of Feeling” in August, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lanell's mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, entered hospice, and died on September 20. The series, including a piece titled “Cherish Every Breath,” was inspired by her mother, who had encouraged Lanell to paint for at least one hour a day during her childhood.
That personal connection sits alongside the fair's broader pitch to emerging artists and new collectors alike. The event received more than 500 artist applications and selected 100, fewer than 20% of those who applied, through a five-person curatorial committee, according to the AJC's reporting. Roswell-based contemporary abstract artist Shanon Schneider and New Futures recipient Jennifer Mack-Watkins, whose printmaking depicts Southern experiences, are also among the sellers.
A Different Business Model for Artists
Unlike traditional galleries, The Other Art Fair charges artists a booth rental fee and takes 18% of art sales. That stands in contrast to the concurrent, gallery-focused Atlanta Art Fair at Pullman Yards. General admission to The Other Art Fair is $20, and the event also offers marketing and operations resources to participating artists.
Roughly 60% of the 100 selected artists are based in the Southeast, and about 70% are exhibiting at The Other Art Fair for the first time, according to ARTS ATL. Global Fair Director Nicole Garton discussed Atlanta's appeal and emerging artists.
Interactive Programming and a Standout Installation
Beyond booth sales, the fair includes hands-on programming meant to make art buying feel less intimidating. Atlanta Magazine details two features: “Blind Date with an Artwork,” where attendees buy wrapped mystery pieces priced at $200 or under, and “The Karmacy,” where visitors exchange handwritten messages of encouragement. Atlanta-based artist Lillian Blades also created an immersive sculptural installation titled “Womb Pod” for the fair, anchoring its non-booth attractions.
The Atlanta stop joins a global circuit that has grown since Saatchi Art founded The Other Art Fair in 2011. The fair has since expanded to cities including London, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, and now hosts 11 annual events worldwide, per the AJC. Saatchi Art's digital platform has represented more than 100,000 artists across 150 countries over its 14-year history, according to the Saatchi Art site. The Observer reported a 40% increase at the February Los Angeles iteration and covered the 2026 Santa Monica edition.
One of Several Fairs Crowding Atlanta's Calendar
The Other Art Fair's debut lands in a packed weekend for Atlanta's creative scene. The third annual Atlanta Art Fair is running concurrently at Pullman Yards from October 1 through 4, presenting more than 80 regional and international galleries. Atlanta Fashion Week is also running October 1 through 4, anchoring designer showcases and a retail partnership with Bloomingdale's at Lenox Square, according to Rough Draft Atlanta. The overlap signals Atlanta's rising profile as a regional art and cultural destination, even as the fairs themselves represent very different ways of buying art — one built on gallery representation, the other on artists selling directly to the public.
The Other Art Fair is located at Enspire Mercantile, 259 Milton Avenue, in Chosewood Park adjacent to the Atlanta BeltLine. The event runs Thursday through Sunday, with tickets and schedule details available at theotherartfair.com/atlanta.
