If its 2013 debut is anything to go by, this year’s Sydney Contemporary from 10 – 13 September, is going to be massive. The international art fair is Australia’s largest, representing more than 90 galleries from 14 countries, with a focus on the Asia Pacific.

Carriageworks’ cavernous heights provide a fitting backdrop to big-ticket contemporary gallerists like Pearl Lam Gallery from Hong Kong, Ingleby Gallery from the UK, Mark Moore Gallery from LA, as well as local talent like Sullivan+Strumpf.

You don’t need a platinum account to enjoy the event either, as the Opening Night is not only an opportunity to see an impressive collection of contemporary art in one place, but an event that makes for great people watching – you’ll likely spot influential critics and collectors in their natural habitat.

This year, the fair organisers have also programmed a schedule of associated activities from 7 – 13 September.

Here are our picks:

1. Sydney Art Week kicks off with a collision of two things that don’t often find themselves in the same place – Sydney ferries and performance art. Expect strange and wonderful encounters from artists Liam Benson, Rosie Deacon, Matt Format and Betty Grumble, curated by Emma Price and Connie Anthes. Share it with #‎sydneycontemporary and #‎sydneyartweek

2. Kid Contemporary at our very own Pine Street Creative Arts is an interactive and fun introduction to drawing for kids of all ages. Think active installation spaces, collaborative artwork and digital animation.

3. Nightly events at Carriageworks for the duration of the fair will include late night public talks, an ‘art and dine’ program and more, followed by after parties at Redfern’s small bars.

4. Talk Contemporary is a series of free panel sessions on contemporary art. Discussions will cover gender, national identity, appropriation and art, post-internet.

5. Video Contemporary and Paper Contemporary, as the names suggest, are exhibitions of digital and moving image and print work. Video brings us a curated exhibition, in partnership with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Paper is showing works from leading printmakers like Reg Mombassa and Emily Floyd. There’ll be a chance to get your hands on limited-run prints and ask the artists questions, as they run a live studio onsite.

Check out the fair’s full gallery list too.

Ready to buy?

If you are in the market for a purchase, Art Money has partnered with Sydney Contemporary to offer interest free loans to buy art at the fair, making it more affordable. Apply for pre-approval from 15 August so you’re ready to go when you find the work you love (pre-approvals are valid for 30 days), or sign up for a loan on the spot at the fair. Check out the list of participating galleries.