Enter Art Fair 2023 at Lokomotivværkstedet: the 10,000 m2 venue used for locomotives maintenance

The fifth anniversary edition of Enter Art Fair is set to make Copenhagen a hub for artistic diversity: «This year, 88 galleries were represented, and 55 percent are owned by women»

Enter Art Fair: Scandinavia’s largest art event

Enter Art Fair is Scandinavia’s largest international art fair and nexus of creative and commercial exchanges. The four-day event takes place every year in Copenhagen, bringing contemporary artists together.

Founded in 2019 by Julie Leopold Alf, Enter Art Fair provides a platform for young and emerging artists. «We are the largest international art fair in Scandinavia and collaborate with key players in the industry, displaying multidisciplinary artworks, events and VIP programs» the founder explains.

Enter Art Fair, turning the city of Copenhagen in a cultural hub since 2019

Enter Art Fair has been growing since its foundation. The inaugural edition was held in a three-thousand square meters tent at Refshaleøen and featured thirty-five international galleries attracting six thousand visitors.

In 2020, it was the first international fair to open to the public after the first Covid lockdown. This second edition featured sixty galleries representing eleven countries and attracted fourteen thousand visitors. The fair moved to the Tunnelfabrikken (Tunnel Factory) in Nordhavn, turning the Copenhagen district into a cultural hub.

The third edition in 2021 presented sixty-one galleries from fifteen countries, attracting over sixteen thousand visitors. Among others, the artist Michele Rizzo took part in the Art Program with the performance ‘Music XTN’.

Last year saw over 20,000 visitors attend the fair with seventy-eight galleries from twenty-three countries. The Art Program included performances by artists Josefine Opsahl and Jules Fischer. The 2023 edition which took place from the 24^th to the 27^th of August saw even more growth, with the fifth anniversary celebration offering performances and VIP programs in a new location.

Enter Art Fair: Enter stands for inclusion – an invitation to everyone to be part of the creative economy

«As the name ‘Enter’ indicates, we invite everyone to be part of our community and support the creative economy. We connect art lovers with galleries and artists during our annual event in Copenhagen and on our online platform throughout the year» Mrs. Alf says. «Whether you are an established collector, dealer, or buying your first artwork, you will be able to take a piece of art home with you».

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Lokomotivværkstedet, Copenhagen: a new location to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Enter Art Fair

The fifth anniversary edition of Enter Art Fair took place at Lokomotivværkstedet. The 10,000 square meters venue was historically used for maintenance of Danish locomotives. It is known for its industrial architecture and its iconic green color. Lokomotivværkstedet is also close to the Meatpacking district and the sustainable gastronomic hub of Banegaarden.

Moreover, the VIP program offered a personalized experience of Enter Art Fair and the city of Copenhagen. Last year’s edition saw seven thousand VIP guests fly in from every continent. The 2023 edition hosted similar numbers, offering exclusive exhibition reviews, museum visits, artist talks, dinners and champagne events with sponsors and partners all throughout the year.

Enter Art Fair, a catalyst for the Danish, Scandinavian, and international art sector

«The fair is a progressive space for young galleries and their artists. We are committed to showcasing the next generation of trailblazers» says Mrs. Alf. «For this reason, we have created a Young Gallery section and an Art Program».

This year, the committee selected seventeen young galleries that have been active for five years or less to showcase anything from paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and glass to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and video. Curated by Irene Campolmi, the Art Program championed artistic expression and emerging artists.

The 2023 edition included talks and a performance by Nikima Jagudajev. These events were all open to the public free of charge. «Enter Art Fair has an energy that must be experienced. We support new technology, and we are a catalyst for the Danish, Scandinavian, and international art sector».

Enter Art Fair, women at the forefront: fifty-five percent of the galleries at the fair are owned by women

Enter Art Fair aims to be a competitive event for artists all over the world. The curatorial committee selects participating galleries based on international standards to ensure quality and representation across a variety of disciplines.

«We receive hundreds of applications from all over the world, and it’s always difficult to narrow it down» says Mrs. Alf. In its commitment to diverse representation, the fair creates paths for growth for many women in the art sector: «This year, eighty-eight galleries from twenty-two countries were represented. The representation of artists at Enter Art Fair is split pretty much equally, and fifty-five percent of the galleries at the fair are owned by women».

Founder Julie Leopold Alf, from business law to art fairs

Enter Art Fair isn’t Mrs. Alf’s first effort in the world of art fairs. In 2016, she led the first edition of Code Art Fair at Bella Center in Copenhagen, as part of the longstanding art fair Art Copenhagen.

A business lawyer by education, Julie Leopold Alf spent the last few decades developing some of Denmark’s largest lifestyle fairs. She entered the world of art fairs over ten years ago. Enter Art fair, in many ways, is the result of her business background combined with her passion for art. «I saw that there was an opportunity to create an art fair with an international focus. I wanted to invite everyone to experience and acquire the best of contemporary art in the heart of Copenhagen».

Crucially, Enter Art Fair explores the connection between the inevitable physical experience of art fairs and the digital world, reflecting on how these can be combined in meaningful ways beyond the pandemic. This mindset fits in a city like Copenhagen, renowned for contemporary art museums such as Glyptoteket, National Gallery (SMK), Copenhagen Contemporary, Thorvaldsens Museum, and Louisiana and Arken.

A look to the future of Enter Art Fair: anniversary celebrations and beyond

The 2023 edition managed to bring the international art world together in a celebration of the transformative power of art. «We were excited to celebrate our fifth anniversary and pay tribute to our growing community, trusted partners and supporters who helped us reach this milestone» says Mrs. Alf.

«Since its first edition five years ago, the fair has doubled in size and number of visitors. The expanded indoor and outdoor art spaces at the Lokomotivværkstedet provided an authentic experience of established and emerging artists in contemporary art».

This edition also saw the introduction of new sections: «I was particularly excited about our new Sculpture Park which showcased some pieces by emerging and established artists».

Julie Leopold Alf looks at the future with excitement: «I’m fortunate to work with a team who constantly push me in new directions. We must always stay curious, up to date on the latest trends, and we must adapt to the changes in our society. We have focused on making the 2023 edition the most successful one yet for our visitors, galleries, artists, sponsors, and partners. But, without revealing too much, we are indeed looking into launching new creative and commercial partnerships beyond this year».

Contemporary art fair in Copenhagen: Enter Art Fair

Founded in 2019, Enter Art Fair is Scandinavia’s largest contemporary art fair happening in Copenhagen. The 2023 fifth anniversary edition took place from the 24^th to the 27^th of August. It featured specially commissioned installations, a live art program (supported by the Danish Art Foundation, Augustinus Fonden and Beckett Foundation) and an exclusive VIP program. It included eighty-eight participating galleries from 22 countries and a young section to platform emerging artists.

Julie Leopold Alf

Founder of Enter Art Fair and previously head of Code Art Fair, Julie Leopold Alf spent twenty years developing some of Denmark’s biggest lifestyle fairs before entering the art world. She has an MSc in Business Administration and Commercial Law from Copenhagen Business School and is married to renowned gallery owner Hans Alf.

Sofia Brizio