ART SAN DIEGO 2012 Was a True Masterpiece for the San Diego Art Scene.

Nov. 9, 2012 - PRLog -- SAN DIEGO (Sept. 15, 2012) - The fourth edition of ART SAN DIEGO was, by all standards, a beautiful success. The show, which was held from Sept. 6-9, showcased a fresh new concept and a fresh new venue.  Moving to the 38,000-square-foot Balboa Park Activity Center designed, by Rob Wellington Quigley, opened up an opportunity to explore a more urban theme and also collaborate with leading art institutions in Balboa Park. Over 10,000 art enthusiasts were in attendance for the four-day fair – the largest turn-out of the event to-date.

The opening night welcomed over 2,600 collectors and was the social highlight in San Diego – bringing together a diverse audience, including numerous artists and leaders who have helped shape the San Diego art scene for the last 60 years.  There was enormous buzz about the new venue and also the strength of the art and galleries participating.

“We had a great roster of galleries and museum partners this year, and we were thrilled to be in Balboa Park,” said Ann Berchtold, founder and director of ART SAN DIEGO. “My hope was that the fair could provide a vibrant platform for San Diego’s enormous diversity of art and artist, and to demonstrate that the work created here stands up alongside leading international art. The universal enthusiasm about the quality of this year’s show revealed a strong appetite in this community to acquire great art and engage in an immersive artistic happening.”

The fair featured over 64 galleries with over 1,500 pieces of art on display.  Post-fair sales surveys reveal the strongest sales yet across galleries, and an increase in the incremental prices of the works sold.

Over the course of the four days a strong steady stream of collectors enjoyed not only great art  - but some spotlight events, including: the Vision China Welcome Reception, The Vault: Contemporary Art & Fine Wine Tasting, Fusion: Art & Fashion, numerous talks and presentations focused on collecting.

After such an incredible turnout and experience with the fourth installment of ART SAN DIEGO, there are many more great things to be expected for the future. One of the newest additions to the growing ART SAN DIEGO scene is a digital experience. As a way to extend the art fair, ART SAN DIEGO, in partnership with Collectrium – the leader in providing cutting-edge art technology to the art world - is launching ARTSDONLINE.  ARTSONLINE is an exclusive virtual viewing room for collectors to browse works by over 60 ASD exhibitors and purchase directly from the dealer. The site can be explored at www.artsandiego2012.collectrium.com.

“The fair provides not only a great forum to purchase great works but also the opportunity to meet and forge relationships with gallery dealers and artists that match the sensibility of the collector,” explained Berchtold. “This new online forum provides a great mechanism to maintain and continue to build that relationship, and a vehicle to introduce new works throughout the year not previously shown.”

Art San Diego 2012 would like to sincerely thank our sponsors:
UBS Financial Services, Hub International Services, Chubb Insurance, San Diego Tourism Marketing District, Craters & Freighters, ArtWorks San Diego, W San Diego Hotel, Lafayette Hotel & Suites, Charles Koll Jewelers, Giuseppe Fine Catering, Solar Rain Water, Uber Transportation, Car2Go, Wilson-Wirth Design, American Society of Appraisers, Beck’s Beer, Cayman Jack, St. Petersburg Vodka, Collectrium, J Pilar Wines, IDG Wines.

ART SAN DIEGO 2012  | HISTORY
ART SAN DIEGO has emerged as one of the most successful cultural events in San Diego.  Founded in 2009 as the first and only Contemporary Art Fair in San Diego, ART SAN DIEGO is now an annual cultural showcase that features San Diego’s most talented artists alongside the world’s leading contemporary art galleries and attracts both national and international attendees. The art fair acts as a catalyst to encourage and promote the collecting of investment-grade art, and enhances the city’s reputation as a leading cultural destination.  http://www.artsandiego2013.com

2013 Fair Show Dates and Times
November 7 - 10, 2013
Balboa Park Activity Center
San Diego, CA

ART SAN DIEGO VIP Opening Night takes place Thursday, Nov. 7 for invited guests: 5pm – 7pm First Preview / 7pm - 9pm VIP Opening
Friday, Nov. 8 - Saturday, Nov. 9:  Noon to 8pm
Sunday, Nov. 10:  Noon to 5pm

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jennifer Borba von Stauffenberg
Hayley Croop
Olive PR Solutions, Inc.
619-955-5285
jennifer@oliveprsolutions.com
hayley@oliveprsolutions.com