The organisers of London’s Frieze Art fair have confirmed they will open a New York event in 2012 in Randall’s Island Park. The inaugural US fair will coincide with New York’s contemporary auction week, and will open to VIPs on 2 May with public access from 3 to 6 May.

The fair will be “almost exactly the same size” as the London original, says Frieze co-founder Matthew Slotover, and will feature around 170 galleries focusing on contemporary art. The American version will also include Frieze Frame, the section devoted to younger galleries that was introduced in London two years ago.

There have been rumours about the London firm making a move into Manhattan over the past two years, but the organisers struggled with the logistical issue of finding a big, and convenient, enough location. Randall’s Island Park, which is situated on the East river, is “good because you can drive. It’s basically ten minutes from the Upper East Side, just across the Triborough Bridge,” says Slotover, adding that “there are also ferries and we are looking at special bus services.” The island has good connections to Connecticut, notable for the billionaire art buyers that live there, such as hedge-fund honcho Steve Cohen.

The fact that the fair is a trek across the river should not deter visitors, says New York gallerist Tanya Bonakdar. “It’s going to be somewhere you visit for the day. The weather in May is lovely, and it will be a destination. And I know [Frieze is] going to work very hard to make sure it is as efficient as possible.”

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