Contemporary Istanbul brings 70 galleries and 17 newcomers to the Golden Horn

Seventeen first-time galleries will join more than 70 exhibitors from 24 countries when the 21st Contemporary Istanbul opens on 23 September.

The fair, a large marketplace where galleries show and sell work by living artists, runs until 27 September at Tersane Istanbul in Istanbul. The venue is a restored Ottoman-era shipyard complex overlooking the Golden Horn. Details of the line-up were published by The Art Newspaper.

Seventeen newcomers make up nearly a quarter of the exhibitor list. They are drawn from leading art centres across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and North America.

They include Whitestone Gallery in Hong Kong and Pearl Lam Projects in Hong Kong, Michel Rein in Paris and Galerie Vallois in Paris, Galerie Tanit in Beirut and Galeria Francisco Fino in Lisbon. Seventeen of them are new. That is a large intake for a single edition.

Almost half the galleries taking part are based in the host city. The Istanbul contingent includes Zilberman, Pi Artworks, Anna Laudel, Galeri Nev Istanbul and Sevil Dolmaci.

The organisers present Istanbul as a meeting point for collectors, curators and galleries from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Founder and chair Ali Gureli has led the fair since its launch. It began in 2006 as the 21st art fair in the world, when organisers say there are now more than 350 such fairs worldwide.

Akbank, the Turkish bank, is listed as main partner for this 21st edition. The fair also works with artists and collectors from the Caucasus, the Black Sea region and the Middle East, widening its reach beyond its core cities.

Costs remain a practical issue for long-distance exhibitors. The fair has introduced a bond agreement to lower exhibitor expenses and a partnership with Turkish Airlines, the national carrier, to help offset the cost of flying in artworks. Shipping, insurance and crating can decide whether a small gallery can afford to travel.

Its New Ground section spotlights emerging galleries and artists. That gives younger dealers shared space alongside larger, established names.

What makes this stand out for a first-time visitor is the mix. Big-city galleries and local rooms hang work wall to wall for five days. You do not need prior knowledge to walk in and look.