Can 'affordable art' be a good investment?

CAN art bought at the Affordable Art Fair go up in value and make you a tidy profit? Yes, a small percentage of it certainly can and does. But buying art for investment runs contrary to the spirit of the Affordable Art Fair, which wants to make art available and accessible to everyone - not just the well-heeled and financially savvy.

"Think of art less as a financial investment than an investment in who you are and how you think. Art can take you to a different place, away from the hubbub of financial speculation. It's a great release and it's good for your soul," says Will Ramsay, founder of the popular fair which takes place annually or biannually in 13 cities.

Yesterday, Affordable Art Fair Singapore (AAFS) opened its doors to the public for its first fair of the year. Starting now, Singapore will have two editions of AAFS - one in May and another in November. The fair debuted in Singapore in November 2010 and has become so popular that it's doubling its occurrence.