Inner West’s Oddball Gallery On Spotlighting Women & LGBTQ+ Artists At the Affordable Art Fair

Oddball Gallery focuses on highlighting women, gender-diverse, and LGBTQ+ artists connected to the Inner West of Sydney. 

Oddball will be one of more than 65 galleries at this year’s Affordable Art Fair, which is on from 6–9 November, at Carriageworks in Eveleigh. 

“I think as women, queer women, and gender-diverse people, having that level of visibility is so important,” said artist and Oddball Gallery founder Em Hatton. “We try to bring to light what people won’t normally see, or whether it’s the joy of simple moments.” 

Oddball Gallery: ‘shared meaning and connection’ in Sydney’s Inner West

Hatton founded the gallery as an artist-led initiative in 2024, with a goal to unite and support local artists.

“For all of our artists, it’s about that safety and play, and a pocket of joy for people who want to engage with our work,” said Hatton. “Art is about shared meaning and connection.”

She said that the Inner West community plays a role since “the biggest thing is our local mindset and mentality. So all of our artists, we’re all working in the Inner West.”

The gallery’s team’s strength lies in its diversity. “Some of us went to art school, some of us didn’t,” said Hatton — still, all of their art shares a common theme of joy, highlighting missed details, and emphasising the importance of spotlighting what’s unseen.

“It’s about sharing resources and providing a platform for each other,” said Hatton.

What is the Affordable Art Fair?

The Affordable Art Fair is an international event that returns for its fourth year, where 14,000 attendees are expected.

Visitors to the Affordable Art Fair can look at art priced from $100 to $10,000.

‘With a wealth of talent from New South Wales and across Australia, there will be something for everyone, whether you’re an experienced collector looking to add to your collection or a first-time buyer exploring the art world for the first time,” reads the Affordable Art Fair website.

For Hatton, it’s an opportunity to make art more approachable for people from all walks of life.

“It’s about making art more accessible and supporting emerging artists,” she said.

Oddball Gallery’s offering at the 2025 Affordable Art Fair

At the fair, Oddball Gallery will offer a diverse mix of works for purchase.

These include nude paintings by Hatton, hand-cut paper paintings by queer artist Claire Cassidy, ceramics with a collaboration of fruits by Yang Qui (aka Albatross Ceramic), ceramic texture and light-focused work by Laura Butler, a mix of photographic techniques by Debbie Gallulo, pieces involving Indian textiles, folklore, and miniature paintings by Gauri Torgalkar, and witch-inspired illustration pieces by Kirbee Lawler. 

“I’m so excited and honoured to exhibit my artworks with Oddball Gallery at the Affordable Art Fair. I truly admire all the talented artists from the gallery, and it’s such a wonderful opportunity to share my work with a wider audience on a bigger stage,” said Qui.

During the fair, Oddball Gallery’s artists will be available to chat. 

Tickets for Sydney’s Affordable Art Fair can be purchased here.