Springboard Art Fair
8 – 11 June 2023
Werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht

From 8 to 11 June, a one-time-only, experimental art fair will take place in Utrecht’s Werkspoorkathedraal. During Springboard Art Fair, more than 100 artists who graduated during the corona period (2019-2021) will have the opportunity to profile themselves and sell their work. Alumni from almost all Dutch art academies come together for a large group event. The artists present their own work, which varies from painting and photography to multimedia and installations. The fair is the perfect opportunity for the visitor to be the first to discover today’s greatest art talent.

This Art Foundation, the foundation that annually organises This Art Fair, responds to a special call from the Mondriaan Fund and the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund with this fair. They found that the newest generation of artists finds it very difficult to connect to the art market. Springboard Art Fair now gives these artists the stage they deserve.

Selected by professionals
The participating artists were carefully selected by 21 coaches based on their profiles on The Pool, a new digital platform developed by Momkai and Kunstmest Consultancy. During the selection, a lot of attention was paid to diversity. The resulting group of participants represents diverse art forms, as well as educations, backgrounds and locations across the country. The coaches – gallery owners, curators, consultants and established artists – each guide a group of five artists to a joint presentation at Springboard Art Fair. In the run-up to the fair, they learn the skills required for successful participation.

Artists and education
The 100+ artists participating in Springboard Art Fair have graduated from a total of 16 art academies and post-academic institutions across the country, from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and the HKU in Utrecht to ArEZ in Arnhem, Enschede and Zwolle and Academy Minerva in Groningen.

Democratic layout
The presentations at Springboard Art Fair will be different from what visitors are used to at a conventional art fair, where each gallery has its own stand. Tom Postma Design, the designer of art fairs such as Art Basel and Art Rotterdam, is developing an experimental and democratic layout together with the team and the participants. An exceptional amount of space is offered to art that normally finds it difficult to find a place at an art fair, such as (sound) installations and performances.

Werkspoorkathedraal
The Werkspoorkathedraal in Utrecht is the ideal location for an art fair: in the middle of the country, with more than 5000 m2 of level floor space, monumental proportions and a glass roof that provides optimal lighting. Brouwerij ‘t IJ provides a sun-drenched terrace on the water. The surrounding Werkspoorkwartier is a dynamic cultural breeding ground. A visit to Springboard Art Fair can be combined with a side program provided by Oscar Larik (NAR café der Kunsten, Oscar Larik gallery) and De Nijverheid.

The Pool
The Pool is an online community for artists and art professionals. Artists can bring their practice to the attention of a relevant network of colleagues and professionals. The platform was developed by Momkai, a leading community building web developer and Kunstmest Consultancy, an art consultancy specialized in sociocultural projects. The Pool will continue to exist after the fair: during Springboard Art Fair, on Friday 9 June, it will open its doors to all artists and art professionals in the Netherlands.

Coaches
Àngels Miralda, Arash Fakhim, Berthe Schoonman, Jacko Brinkman, Fleur & Wouter, Inge Pollet, Jip Hinten, Ka-Tjun Hau, Lars Been, Leana Boven, Lih-Lan Wong, Manuela Klerkx, Marie Stel, Maurits van der Laar, Nathalie Hartjes, Nienke van der Wal, Nina Folkersma, Pieter Dobbelsteen, Renee Trijselaar, Sanne Luteijn, Youri Appelo.

This Art Foundation
This Art Foundation was set up in 2005 with the aim to support visual artists in their profession, both artistically and organisationally. The foundation did so by creating an annual, high-quality art event in Amsterdam’s Oude Kerk: Art in Redlight. In 2014, Art in Redlight celebrated its 10-year anniversary by moving to the Beurs van Berlage. A year later, the fair changed its name to This Art Fair, with a new look and new team members.

In the years to follow, This Art Fair continued its growth, attracting more visitors every year and increasing the quality of presentations. In 2020, This Art Fair decided to move to a new location in Amsterdam Noord, in a different season, to sustain the fair’s growth.

At the same time the foundation launched a new initiative, This Works, that offers masterclasses, workshops, collections visits and network events. This Works is a club for ambitious artists that want to expand their practice and invest in their cultural entrepreneurship. The foundation has organised other events fostering your talent and reaching new audiences with pop-up events and exhibitions.

In 2023, This Art Foundation organises Springboard Art Fair. This Art Fair will return in 2024.