Fair Play Art Fair: Ryan Stanier Starts Again in London
Ryan Stanier spent thirteen years building The Other Art Fair, which sold more than 90,000 artworks before he left in 2024. Fair Play Art Fair is his new fair, and it runs October 15 to 18 at One Marylebone in London, a 19th-century church designed by Sir John Soane. The 70 artists were chosen by a panel that includes Kate Bryan of Soho House and Jo Baring of the Ingram Collection. None of them pay for a booth. The fair takes a commission when their work sells. In the evenings, supper clubs and DJs take over the building, with the music in the basement vaults.
Q: First of all, tell us the story behind Fair Play. You spent thirteen years building The Other Art Fair. What made you want to do it all over again?
A: Firstly, I missed the excitement of running art fairs, especially launching something completely new.
I spent thirteen years building The Other Art Fair, and the part I loved most was seeing what could happen when you put an artist directly in front of an audience. Someone buys their first artwork, an artist gets their first significant sale, and a relationship starts that can last for years.
When I left, I had the chance to think about what I would build from scratch today by applying my learning from running 100 fairs previously. Artists are under enormous financial pressure, and I wanted to create a fair where the opportunity to exhibit wasn’t determined by whether someone could afford a stand. Fair Play grew out of that idea: select artists on the strength of their work, remove the booth fee, and build an event for art lovers focused around the idea of Play.
Q: No booth fees is what people notice first. How does that work in practice?
A: Artists don’t pay for their booth and instead we take a commission when their work sells. That means our success is directly tied to theirs, therefore creating this partnership between us and the artist. We have a shared interest in bringing the right audience through the doors and putting their best artworks forward.
Q: Artists who didn’t get a booth can still show through Fair Play Curates. What’s behind that decision?
A: With us showing 70 artists, we inevitably have to turn down work we would love to show. Not getting a booth doesn’t necessarily say anything about the quality of an artist’s practice; sometimes it comes down to space and the balance of the overall selection.
Fair Play Curates gives us another way to introduce artists to our audience. I wanted the application process to open up more possibilities, and this allows us to support a broader group of artists while giving visitors even more work to discover.
Q: You’ve said artists find it harder to build a career in London. What does a fair like this actually change for them?
A: A fair can create a concentrated opportunity to earn money, meet collectors and build relationships. For an independent artist, access to that audience can be difficult to establish on their own.
The direct conversation matters enormously. Visitors hear the story behind the work, understand how it was made and meet the person they’re supporting. That can turn an initial purchase into an ongoing relationship. I’d love artists to leave with sales, but also with contacts and opportunities that continue well beyond the four days.
Q: A nineteenth-century church, supper clubs, DJs in the basement. How did the programme come together?
A: One Marylebone was a big part of the inspiration. It has such character, and its different spaces gave us room to think creatively about how people could spend time at the fair.
The programme grew through conversations with people across art, food, music and fashion. El Rayo’s Mexican experience on the terrace, House Collective’s supper clubs, performance art with our Chief Play Officer Tom Pope, Tinie Tempah’s album launch party and Hunger Magazine’s party with Jonnie Walker all offer different ways into the event. I want someone to come for the art, stay for dinner and end up dancing downstairs or come with friends for a night out and discover an artist they love. The art sits at the centre of it, but there’s room for a bit of spontaneity and fun.
Q: Prices start at £200, which puts a first purchase within reach. What would you tell someone walking in with no idea where to start?
A: Start with what catches your attention. You don’t need an art history degree or the right vocabulary to know that a work makes you feel something.
Talk to the artist. Ask about their process, what inspired the work and what else they’re making. Buying directly from the person who made it is one of the pleasures of the fair, and that conversation often becomes part of why you love the piece. Your first purchase should be something you’re excited to live with.
Q: It’s the first edition. What would make it a good one for you?
A: Artists selling work is the clearest measure. We can create a beautiful event and fill the building, but we need that audience to translate into meaningful support for the people exhibiting.
I’d also love to see plenty of first-time buyers and hear that artists have made useful connections. If visitors leave excited about someone they’ve discovered, and artists feel that taking part has helped them move forward, that gives us a strong foundation to build on.
Q: Where do you want Fair Play to be in the long run? Anything else on the horizon?
A: I want Fair Play to become a lasting platform for independent artists, with the fair as a focal point for activity throughout the year. There’s scope to take it to other cities, but the first priority is making London work well and earning the trust of artists and collectors.
Alongside that, we currently run an agency, Modern Projects.art, which connects emerging artists to ambitious clients looking to fill their spaces with art. We’re also developing Fair Play Studios to bring studios, exhibitions and shared facilities together. Across those projects, I’m interested in creating more opportunities for artists to make work, show it and build a sustainable career.
Photo credit:
Ryan Stainer portrait by Sara McKinnon
