Go big or go home gamble sees more artists than ever at Liverpool Art Fair

Liverpool Art Fair founder Lucy Byrne couldn’t ever have imagined it becoming as big as it has.

The exhibition, which began in 2012, has grown from three days over a Bank Holiday to more than six weeks of summer in one of Liverpool’s most famous buildings.

And this year’s even seen a record number of artists, with a staggering 245 people showing and selling their work.

She admits:

“I never envisaged is being as big as it is. It started off small and has just grown steadily and organically.

“In that first year at Camp and Furnace – I think it was one of the first events there – there were about 50 artists involved and it was just me, hanging every picture and taking every sale.

“That we now have hundreds of artists, a team of people running it, and thousands of visitors is incredible.”

Liverpool Art Fair has moved over the years, to The Gallery Liverpool, the Metquarter, and even at one stage The Pier Head – in six shipping containers that were transformed into art show spaces.

“That was a crazy experience,” smiles Lucy.

But it was after Covid, when Liverpool Art Fair had been forced to take time off, that Lucy was approached about holding it in its new home of The Royal Liver Building.

However daunting that was, Lucy says:

“I just thought why not?! Go big or go home.

“It’s our fourth year in the Liver Building and it’s just the perfect place for us.

“It’s an iconic symbol of Liverpool and the art fair shows the work of people from within a 35-mile radius of the city.

“We have this great big open space to showcase the work and this amazing setting.

“And we can open every single day of the week.”

She adds:

“I think the first year we were here people even saw it as just an excuse to see inside this beautiful building, but they got to see the art as well, and that’s fine. They saw both.”

Now in its 12th year, the Liverpool Art Fair launched for 2026 on June 12 and runs until Sunday, July 26.

It’s open seven days a week, 12–5pm, with free entry throughout.

Since it began the fair has welcomed almost 70,000 art lovers and showcased the work of more than 2,700 artists.

And, having celebrated its most successful event in its history last year welcoming almost 10,000 visitors, this year looks set to top even that.

This year’s fair brings together the largest group of exhibiting artists who, as always, were selected from an open call to those living within a 35-mile radius of Liverpool by the judging panel: Joe Brooks, Executive Director of Audiences and Media at National Museums Liverpool; Sarah Lovell, Lead Officer for Culture at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; sculptor Faith Bebbington, who has worked from her Liverpool studio since 1993, and Angela Samata, arts professional and broadcaster.

Works from painters, sculptors, printmakers and other creatives starts at just £25 and there’s a substantial section dedicated to pieces under £250 and with nothing over £2,500, ensuring that it keeps to its promise and goal of making original art genuinely accessible to everyone, from first-time buyers to seasoned collectors.

Alongside the exhibition, there’s a programme of creative workshops in partnership with Cass Art, giving visitors the chance to try their hand at a range of techniques throughout the summer and free, informal artist talks at weekends.

Visitors can also vote for the People’s Choice award, which allows them to choose their favourite artist of the fair, the winner being crowned and presented with a prize package.

“Liverpool Art Fair is important because I always wanted to make art accessible to everyone and allow artists, some of whom have never sold or shown their work before, the chance to have a really big platform to get their work out to the public,” says Lucy.

“It’s giving anyone and everyone access to affordable original art and making it clear it’s not scary to go into a gallery – or it doesn’t have to be. We’re clear about the pricing.

“It matters that people see art as being for everyone, something that can enrich their lives and bring them joy. It’s easy to go into a store and spend money on a print that many people all over the world will have.

“But if it’s art that speaks to you, and you get an emotional response from it, that’s personal and that’s rewarding.”

Lucy continues:

“Having a record year with 245 artists feels like a milestone, but what matters most is that someone will walk off the street, fall in love with a piece of art, and take it home. That’s what Liverpool Art Fair has always been about.”