Galleries from the United States and Europe will offer more than 3,000 original works of art at the Fifteenth Annual Boston International Fine Art Show (BIFAS), November 17-20, 2011 at The Cyclorama, Boston Center for The Arts (BCA).  The show opens with a Gala Preview on Thursday, November 17 from 5:30 to 8:30pm to benefit The Greater Boston Food Bank. Greater Boston Food Bank distributes more than 34 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to approximately 550 member hunger-relief agencies and 30 Food Bank Direct service programs. Gala tickets are $100 and $250 and can be purchased online at www.gbfb.org/events, or by calling the show office.  Weekend Show hours are Friday 1pm-9pm, Saturday 11am-8pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.  Tickets are $15, under 12 free.   All special programs are free with show admission. For additional information and a complete list of galleries, visit www.FineArtBoston.com or call 617-363-0405.

Special Programs

New Collectors Night  - Friday, November 18 at 6:30pm

Panel:  Art Collecting: A Passion, An Investment, or Both?

Is art a luxury brand, as sensitive to the stock markets as high-end fashion?  Or does it represent a safe investment in troubled times, much like gold?  Why are some markets, such as African American art, exploding, while others, such as Barbizon, appear to be on the wane?  When buying art, what comes first, passion or portfolio?  What are the trust and estate issues of art as an asset?   Join our panel of experts including Christopher D. Perry, Senior Vice President and Senior Fiduciary Officer, Northern Trust; Lou Salerno, Questroyal Gallery; and Julie Sherlock, Assistant Vice President, ACE Private Risk Services. Presented by ARIS Title Insurance Corporation, New York, the industry's leading authority on managing the market ownership or legal title risks when passion-investing in art and other important collectibles, and  moderated by Lawrence M. Shindell, Chairman of ARIS.

Saturday, November 19 at 3:00pm

Panel: Shaping The Present: Realist Art Then And Now

For years, people have been saying realist art is coming back.  Judging from its growing visibility and the mushrooming of realist art schools nationwide, it’s more accurate to say it’s here.  How are top contemporary realist artists inspired or informed by their historical counterparts?  Is it wise to collect today's realist artists when many museums and critics are reluctant to highlight them?  Join us for this intriguing panel, animated by two national editors and popular BIFAS presenters:  Joshua Rose of American Art Collector and Peter Trippi of Fine Art Connoisseur.

The only show of its kind in New England, BIFAS features 40 galleries from the United States and Europe, with no restrictions on the type of work that may be shown.  Works on offer range from fine original prints priced at just a few hundred dollars to museum-quality masterpiece paintings priced at more than $3 million.  Last year, over 3,000 people attended the show, which saw very strong sales.

The Cyclorama provides the ideal venue for this exciting show.  A large circular rotunda and adjacent salons encourage visitors to both linger and wander.  The historic structure is located in the heart of the BCA complex, which boasts four theatres, a gallery, the Boston Ballet School, 50 artist studios and other facilities.  There are more than a dozen "hot" restaurants and nightspots within a five-minute walk, making it a focal point for cultural life in the city.

“The show has grown up with the evolution of the Boston Center for the Arts, the art market in Boston and the changing demographics of the South End, Back Bay, Downtown and other neighborhoods of Boston,” comments co-producer Tony Fusco.  “We couldn’t be more pleased to be launching our 15th year.”

Fusco & Four/Ventures also produces AD 20/21: Art & Design of the 20th & 21st Centuries, slated for March 15-18, 2012, and The Ellis Boston Antiques Show which re-launched in October 2011. For more information about all three shows produced by Fusco & Four/Ventures visit www.BostonArtFairs.com.   

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Editor’s Notes: • Additional background and photos on request

• Interviews may be arranged with participants 

• Media coverage of the Gala and show is encouraged.