NEED TO KNOW
When
June 26-July 2 (preview June 26)
Where
Olympia National, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London W14 8UX
What
In its 45th year. Over 55,000 items with prices ranging from £100 to £1m and around 160 dealers
Getting there
Olympia London is the only venue in London with a dedicated rail station – Kensington (Olympia)
Where to eat
Tatler Café, Little Orchard deli, Pizza Express, Mosimann’s Jazz Café
Standard admission
£20 (preview day £60)
Late night opening
June 29 until 9pm
WHAT’S NEW
The London summer fairs scene, that once stretched to half a dozen events beginning with antiquarian book shows at the very start of June, is this year somewhat reduced. With the folding of Art Antiques London, a seven-day Olympia kicks off the season at the end of June.
Some of last year’s initiatives will be repeated: a quintet of new dealerships will be given the chance to experience an international fair, benefiting from discounted stands in a designated area on the balcony level.
Meanwhile, a dedicated section will focus on contemporary design following a second tie-up with Chicago fair Sculpture Objects Functional Art & Design (SOFA).
EVENTS
Olympia – described by fair director Mary Claire Boyd as “London’s original, quintessential art and antiques fair” – is pushing its credentials as a destination for private furnishers and interior decorators.
Organiser Clarion Events has arranged a series of talks and discussions on the theme of decorating with antiques hosted by the likes of interior designer Henrietta Spencer-Churchill (Incorporating Antiques in Design), Susie Rumbold, president of the British Institute of Interior Design (Mixing Antiques and Contemporary) and Emma Burns from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler (Ancient and Modern: Using Antiques in Decoration Today).
