London will become the center of the international art world next week when collectors, artists and galleries gather for a series of fairs — and Mount Street in Mayfair is joining the fray.
Grosvenor, the main property owner on the street, has tapped local brands and businesses to take part in the new Mount Street Neighbourhood Arts Festival, a weeklong event that runs from Monday to Oct. 12.
It is meant to offer respite, retail therapy and a variety of cultural and creative events to fairgoers, those attending the sales at the big auction houses and locals, too. It coincides with the opening of the Frieze and Frieze Masters fairs as well as the design event, PAD London.
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House of Bandits, part of the Sarabande Foundation, will open a pop-up shop in the former Matches town house at 5 Carlos Place, showcasing the work of artists across fashion, photography, painting and sculpture.
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There will also be a dedicated showroom of 15 Sarabande jewelers and alumni of the charity’s studio program.
Trino Verkade, director of the Sarabande Foundation, said she loves the “community feel,” of the neighborhood — even though Sarabande is based miles away in northeast London. She said the former Matches town house is the ideal venue to be showcasing the work of Sarabande’s artists and designers.
“It’s a house that feels like home — a home filled with art, fashion and jewelry,” Verkade said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for us to be in the middle of it all, and we’re excited to share the [creators’] brilliance as part of the festival.”
She said the jewelry floor will act as a professional showroom with press, buyers, collectors and high net worth individuals among the invitees.
The neighborhood festival will also feature a daily breakfast and conversation series hosted by the creative agency A Vibe Called Tech at venues in the neighborhood, including the Jessica McCormack townhouse.
Guests will include Caroline Knighton of Phillips auction house; Sarabande artists Jo Grogan and Stephen Akpo; editor and author Funmi Fetto; and Gabriel Hendifar, founder and artistic director of the interiors store Apparatus on Mount Street.
Joanna Lea, Grosvenor’s retail director, said it’s an ideal time of the year to showcase all that Mount Street and its partners have to offer, and a chance “to make the whole bigger than the parts.”
Lea added that Grosvenor also wants to support physical retail in London and showcase the neighborhood’s interesting mix of fashion, interiors, food and art. Grosvenor owns much of the property in and around Mount Street, as well as large swathes of real estate across London and the U.K.
Although the Mount Street neighborhood is only a few minutes’ walk from Bond Street, it has an entirely different feel.
People live in the neighborhood, which is quiet and green. There’s a church, a library and an elementary school in addition to the Connaught hotel, Scott’s restaurant, luxury stores including Erdem, Simone Rocha and Moynat, and wellness destinations including Omorovicza.
As part of the festival, visitors will be offered a “passport,” produced by the Swiss stationers Hieronymus that will include a specially commissioned map of the area by the artist Sainte Maria.
As they travel around the neighborhood, they’ll be able to collect stamps and unlock various incentives from brands including Dr. Barbara Sturm, Marni and Maison Sisley.
The event will also have its own campaign called “Meet the Neighbours,” shot by Trisha Ward.
The campaign will include images of The Connaught’s head doorman, Carl Holness, and Marni’s store manager, Kimpal Patel.
The shoot also includes imagery of the historical and community spaces in the area, such as Mount Street Gardens, Mount Street Library and Farm Street Church.