Norway and the Czech Republic are the new artists drawn to the third NewcastleGateshead Art Fair.

Viv Hardwick talks to Mike Pederson and Chris Yeats about the weekend showcase.

ONCE it was the Vikings who rather forcibly brought their art to the North-East.

Now the Norwegians are returning for a debut visit to the NewcastleGateshead Art Fair which is aiming to bring around 10,000 art-buyers to The Sage this weekend... and the Nordic artists are financing the trip themselves.

Mike Pederson from the Norwegian Collaboration Centre which represents the Norwegian Bazaar, a group of the country’s galleries and artists, says: “An awful lot of artists are interested in getting involved.

But the first four artists we’re sending are doing it off their own backs, without sponsorship.

If it works this time we’ll probably get some funding next year.” Pederson admits it was a late decision for Norway to join the Czech Republic in bringing art to the region.

“In Norway, art and business are linked. I think it has got to do with quality of life and there is a bit of space for doing things other than working. We had a company where the workforce finished at 3pm in the afternoon and I was pulling my hair out because that was the time that the UK and the US would make calls. But because the summertime was precious people went off to enjoy a better work-life balance,” says Pederson.

So how are the Norwegians going to persuade the workhardened Brits to spend time looking at art?

“I think what is going to happen, if this is successful, is this will be a much bigger event from the Norwegian perspective next year. If there is pressure for 120 artists to sell their work then we’ll look at operating a gallery along the lines of the Biscuit Factory,” says Pederson.

He says that one of the problems for Norway has been the loss of the ferry service from the North-East a year ago, although a new airline is operating to Bergen from the end of the month.

“Things may be happening in the future to provide a more simplified ferry service because there is a lot of difference between having a cruise-style vessel in the North Sea and the Caribbean,” Pederson explains.

And as for that old chesnut about Norwegian beer being expensive, he agrees that the price of alcohol is higher there but says that salaries aren’t.

“But they don’t have the huge difference between the secretary and MD and when you’re in business the price of things like art are going to match the marketplace. Then again one of the most famous artists in Norway is on display in Newcastle right now. Frans Widerberg is exhibiting at the Northumbria University gallery (until October 23).”

EMERGING artists from the region are again being featured. Four were put forward by Newcastle’s Vane Gallery: Hannah Campion who works in painting and drawing, but has recently extended into sculptural installation. Adam Hogarth and Sebastian Trend are both graduates of the Fine Art BA course at Northumbria are both interested in print and photography. Sunderland Glass MA Helen Schell’s current work depicts rocketry and time machines.

Other names to look out for are: Iris Priest, Oliver Beck, Anne Vibeke Mou, Joseph Steele, Daniel Jagger, Daniel Wilde, Nick Kennedy, Mikhak Mirmahmoudi, Cindy Robinson- Begg, Deborah Snell and Karl Nattress.

Chris Yeats, who runs Vane with fellow director Paul Stone, says: “I think the Art Fair has grown in importance. It’s been a good way for us to reach a new local audience, although there are visitors from all over the UK.

It’s also good for us to be able to showcase the new emerging artists that we show.”

Art is still generally viewed as an investment where you’re unlikely to lose money, but Yeats feels that the market has changed. “In many ways last year’s event couldn’t have come at a worse time in terms of the recession. Things have picked up quite a lot since then and the markets are different. There are the blue chip galleries selling the big names like Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, whose work fluctuates but doesn’t really go down in value. What has suffered, but is slowly picking up, is the mid-market.

“This is the low to mid-priced work from emerging artists where you have clients who like the work rather than buying it specifically as an investment.

People are still buying work for the love of it. What won’t come back for a few years are the people who are the big money individuals speculating on young artists. In some ways it’s a good thing because the prices have come down, which is not good for us. But the market is more open.”

Prices range from £50 to £5,000 in the main with the choice growing wider than ever thanks to at least 30 galleries bringing work to sell.

■ NewcastleGateshead Art Fair, The Sage, Gateshead: Tomorrow: 11am-6pm, Saturday: 11am-5pm, Sunday: 11am-5pm. Tickets: £5 advance booking weekend ticket, £6 on the door.ngartfair.com