Weekly global art events agenda

Next week, contemporary art lovers can head to the capital city of France to see two major contemporary art fairs, FIAC and Art Elysées, plus a series of smaller exhibitions that will take place in the city.

The New Festival
October 21 - November 23
Centre Pompidou in Paris/France
The Centre Pompidou in Paris will launch a series of exhibitions under the header, The New Festival on October 21. The five-week program combines exhibitions, shows, conferences, cinema screenings, performances and concerts and features "today's creation in all its shape and colours". The festival aims to inspire the art community to actively engage with today's art creation and to discuss the issues evident within the artworld.

http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Manifs.nsf/AllExpositions/79CE5F22705A96C7C12575CF00446C95?OpenDocument&sessionM=2.2.2&L=2

FIAC 2009
October 22 - 25
Cour Carrée, Louvre Museum & Tuileries Garden, Paris/France
Almost 200 galleries and more than 3500 artists will be present at the 36th edition of FIAC in Paris. This famous contemporary Art Fair showcases the best in modern and contemporary art and is one of the leading launch-pads for up-and-coming artists. FIAC will be presented within the Tuileries Gardens and in the Cour Carrée at the Louvre Museum. Artworks are arranged in chronological order and range from electronic arts through painting, sculpture, installations, soundworks and conceptual art. Along with the main exhibition, 12 large-scale outdoor projects will be shown within the Tuileries Gardens.

http://www.fiac.com

Art Elysées
October 22 - 26
Avenue Des Champs-Elysées, Paris/France
Now in its third year, the Art Elysées art fair lines the iconic Avenue Des Champs-Elysées with modern and contemporary artworks from new and established galleries. 70 galleries will expose artworks ranging from sculpture, painting, drawing and mixed media in two specially created pavilions measuring 3500 meters squared.

http://www.artelysees.fr/index_gb.php?lang=gb

The Anarchy of Silence. John Cage and Experimental Art
October 23, 2009 - January 10, 2010
Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona/Spain
A unique exhibition held in Barcelona will showcase the widely unknown works of musician and artist John Cage. The Anarchy of Silence: John Cage and Experimental Art draws inspiration from the artist's influence on conceptual art and explores the way in which music and art coincide. The exhibition traces the artist's entire career, from his early abstract pieces and unconventional use of instruments to his later conceptual and silent works and finally to his innovative use of media during the later stages of his career.

http://www.macba.cat/controller.php?p_action=show_page&pagina_id=28&inst_id=25201&lang=ENG&PHPSESSID=ms0lh68sevsigq86gu64peibm7

Design Festa vol. 30
October 24 - 25
Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo/Japan
The Design Festa Volume 30 is an international art event held twice a year in Japan. The event combines performance, live music and food with a large exhibition of contemporary art and design works from international artists. Over 2600 booths will showcase work from over 8,500 artists of all ages and disciplines hailing from across the globe. Features of this year's event will be a new area dedicated to live painting, an area created especially for kids and an outdoor-live stage.

http://www.designfesta.com/index_en.html

Rob Pruitt presents The First Annual Art Awards
October 29
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York/USA
The first edition of the annual Art Awards aims to celebrate the work of contemporary artist, institutions and projects that have changed the face of contemporary art during the year. The Art Awards function as part ceremony, part performance piece which echoes the format of traditional Hollywood awards. Presenters at this year's event include Cecily Brown, Sofia Coppola and Mary Kate Olsen. Some of the categories awarded include Artist of the Year, Curator of the Year and Exhibition Outside the United States.

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/upcoming/first-annual-art-awards

Sculpture by the Sea
October 29 - Nov 15
Bondi Beach in Sydney/Australia
Sculpture by the Sea is an annual exhibition that takes sculptures out of the gallery and onto the beach. Approximately 400,000 visitors are attracted to the free cultural event where visitors can take a walk along the beach and contemplate over 100 contemporary artworks juxtaposed by the natural surroundings.

http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/

Art en Capital
November 4 - 8
Grand Palais in Paris/France
Art en Capital is a contemporary art fair held at the Grand Palais in Paris. The event brings together gallery owners, art collectors, art professionals and spectators to view a wide selection of contemporary art made by young artists. Art en Capital also provides a forum for interested members of the public and those within the art industry to strike up a discussion about art and the art community as a whole.

http://aec.artistes-francais.com/

Artissima International Fair of Contemporary Art
November 6 - 8
Lingotto Fiere in Turin/Italy
Artissima International Fair of Contemporary Art is an art event dedicated to young, contemporary artists. Approximately 200 new galleries from across the globe will showcase outstanding artworks in the field of drawing, sculpture, installation, video, photography and performance art.

http://www.artissima.it/