ROTTERDAM.-The 9th edition of Art Rotterdam has an international appearance. About 75 galleries from 10 different countries have been selected for their open outlook and innovative ideas. The fair will again be held in an unique setting: the old cruise terminal of the Holland America Line, in ‘Kop van Zuid’, a quarter in the dockland area of Rotterdam.

Over the years, Art Rotterdam has carved out a position among other leading international art fairs. Art fair directors from around the world discover in Rotterdam new galleries. Numerous galleries have made their debut at Art Rotterdam, The works of new young artists can be bought for a reasonable price. ART ROTTERDAM attracts collectors who are focusing on new trends.

In 2008 new galleries such as Mothers Tankstation [Ireland], Hoet Bekaert [Gent], Neue Alte Brücke [Frankfurt], Rokeby [London], Eva Winkeler [Frankfurt] and Arquebuse [Geneva] have an unconventional program to offer.

This year will be a first for India’s most trend-setting gallery Chemould of Mumbay. In cooperation with the Willem Baars Project [Amsterdam] they are presenting an impressive installation by Anant Joshi.

In addition to the foreign participants, the vanguard of Dutch galleries will also be present at the fair, including Torch Gallery, Paul Andriesse, Diana Stigter and Lumen Travo.

Illy Prize 2008 - The Illy Prize has become an important part of Art Rotterdam. In 2008, the prestigious award will again be given to the most innovative artist at Art Rotterdam. He or she will receive € 10,000 in prize money. This year, the jury of the illy prize will be formed by: Nicolaus Schaffhausen [director of Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art], Paola van de Velde [art editor for de Telegraaf], Jan Grosfeld [collector], and Carlo Bach [creative director illycaffe].

Project(OR) - platform for current art stages - At Art Rotterdam showroom MAMA will present the first edition of Project(OR): a platform for current art stages. In what used to be the former post office, Coolsingel 42, Project(OR) will present Artists Anonymous from Berlin, Fette’s Gallery from Los Angeles and Press to Exit Gallery from Skopje, on an area of 1,000 m2.