Butterfield, the bank and trust company headquartered in Bermuda, is to be the lead sponsor of the inaugural Atlantic World Art Fair.

The online event taking place from June 1 to 21 will present nine exhibitors and feature the talents of more than 60 contemporary visual artists from the mid-Atlantic region.

Founded and curated by Bermudian cultural entrepreneur Lisa Howie, and hosted in partnership with Artsy, the global online marketplace and art brokerage, the AWAF said it expects to reach four million art collectors.

The exhibitors are Black Pony Gallery, Ms Howie, Bermuda; Sour Grass, Barbados; Suzie Wong Presents, Jamaica; TERN Gallery, Bahamas; ReadyTex Art Gallery, Suriname; Olympia Gallery, Jamaica; Gallery Alma Blou, Curaçao; Frame Center, Jamaica; and Gallery Monnin, Haiti.

Ms Howie said artists in the AWAF are nationals of, or reside in, Aruba, Azores, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, St Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, US Virgin Islands, and their diasporas.

Michael Neff, Butterfield’s managing director of Bermuda and International Wealth, said: “Butterfield’s commitment to supporting Bermuda and the communities in which we operate extends well beyond providing financial services.

“The unique art and culture of Bermuda, and that of the wider mid-Atlantic region, is important because it enriches our lives. We are incredibly pleased to be supporting the inaugural Atlantic World Art Fair.”

Ms Howie said: “I am delighted to welcome Butterfield as the lead sponsor for this year’s Atlantic World Art Fair and thank them for their support.

“The fair presents an exciting new art market that everyone with internet can access. It is the perfect place to start building an art collection and we are happy to provide any assistance, particularly to those who might be buying art for the first time.

“Together we have the opportunity to share the talented contemporary art from our region of the mid-Atlantic with the rest of the world.”

Ms Howie said collectors will have an opportunity to purchase more than 250 top-tier selections of paintings, prints, photographs, textiles and sculpture, with prices ranging from $800 to $20,000.

She added that information about artists, editorial commentary, and a parallel online programme – such as art talks, panel discussions and studio visits – will be available to help develop cultural understanding and an appreciation for the region.

Ms Howie launched Black Pony Gallery in 2019 on the Artsy platform, featuring contemporary artists from the Atlantic World.

She is a former executive director and director of education and programming at the Bermuda National Gallery.

See the AWAF online at www.artsy.net/atlantic-world-art-fair. For the latest updates, follow the event on Twitter @atlanticworldartfair.