London’s Longest-Running Art Fair, Dedicated to Prints, Celebrates 40 Years

Gallery owner Dario Illari stands on a step ladder to look at Smiley Faces entitled "Memoirs of my Nervous Illness" by British artist Jake Chapman during preparation work ahead of the London Original Print Fair at Somerset House in London on March 19, 2025. (Adrian Dennis / AFP)
Gallery owner Dario Illari stands on a step ladder to look at Smiley Faces entitled "Memoirs of my Nervous Illness" by British artist Jake Chapman during preparation work ahead of the London Original Print Fair at Somerset House in London on March 19, 2025. (Adrian Dennis / AFP)
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London’s Longest-Running Art Fair, Dedicated to Prints, Celebrates 40 Years

Gallery owner Dario Illari stands on a step ladder to look at Smiley Faces entitled "Memoirs of my Nervous Illness" by British artist Jake Chapman during preparation work ahead of the London Original Print Fair at Somerset House in London on March 19, 2025. (Adrian Dennis / AFP)
Gallery owner Dario Illari stands on a step ladder to look at Smiley Faces entitled "Memoirs of my Nervous Illness" by British artist Jake Chapman during preparation work ahead of the London Original Print Fair at Somerset House in London on March 19, 2025. (Adrian Dennis / AFP)

The London Original Print Fair, the British capital's longest-running art fair, celebrates its 40th anniversary this week with an array of works spanning from Old Masters to contemporary creations.

Running March 20-23 at Somerset House, this year's edition features more than 40 studios, dealers and publishers with displayed works including by the likes of Damien Hirst, Tom Hammick and Grayson Perry as well as emerging talent and up-and-coming names from around the world.

The fair, which launched in June 1985 with 16 exhibitors, has long offered fans the chance to view and buy prints, considered more affordable than paintings and sculptures.

"Prints have become much more widely trusted," director Helen Rosslyn told Reuters.

"I think people are realizing that print is not just a reproduction, it's something that's made in collaboration with the artist and a printer."



Saudi Arabia Opens Pavilion at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025

The Saudi pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025. (SPA)
The Saudi pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Opens Pavilion at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025

The Saudi pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025. (SPA)
The Saudi pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia inaugurated its pavilion today at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025, which runs from April 26 to May 5, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

The pavilion showcases the Kingdom’s remarkable achievements in literature, publishing, and translation.

Led by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, the Kingdom’s participation in the 34th edition of the fair includes contributions from several prominent entities, including the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, the King Abdulaziz Public Library, Princess Nourah University, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, and the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran.

The pavilion features a dedicated section for the UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures—an initiative of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission—designed to promote research and partnerships that support cultural translation as a bridge between civilizations.

This platform facilitates communication and the exchange of expertise with visitors and stakeholders from the publishing and cultural sectors worldwide, reflecting the vibrancy of Saudi Arabia’s cultural movement and its commitment to regional and international cooperation.

Through its participation, the Kingdom seeks to strengthen cultural ties with the United Arab Emirates, building on a shared literary and intellectual heritage. Ongoing joint initiatives in literature, publishing, and translation have bolstered this collaboration, supporting the two nations’ aspirations to cultivate an integrated Gulf cultural scene capable of presenting a unified and high-quality voice to the world.