MOSCOW.- With the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Government of Moscow, and with the partnership and in cooperation with leading Russian museums the First Moscow International Fine Art and Antiques Fair will start April 28th through May 6th, 2004.  The evet will take place in the Atrium of newly renovated Old Gostiny Dvor, which is one of the outstanding monuments of history and architecture, situated in the Mosсоw downtown, 150 meters from the Kremlin and the Red Square. At the end of XVIII century the Russian empress Catherine the Great ordered to rebuild Gostiny Dvor to the design of the famous Italian architect Jacomo Quarenghi. Nowadays the Moscow Gostiny Dvor arcade is а modern cultural and business centre, the largest and the most prestigious exhibition complex with climate control.
This fair is to satisfy an increasing interest to Russia and its unique cultural heritage. The First Moscow International Fine Art and Antiques Fair is believed to present an exceptional opportunity to replenish Russian state and private collections with foreign and Russian antiques and works of art and to promote prestige of Moscow as one of the leading world cultural centers. The Organizing Committee hopes it will become the most comprehensive fixtures on the international fairs calendar and attract the attention and participation of thousands of well-known antiquarians, antiques dealers, collectors and art-connoisseurs, private buyers, discerning curators, interior designers, and devotees from all over the world.
Fully supported by the Russian Government, the fair will, in the words of Pavel Khoroshilov, the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation "become a remarkable event in cultural life of Moscow and Russia and take its deserving place among the most significant international antique fairs. I wish the Organizing Committee every success in its noble intention, and in the framework of our authorities and possibilities the Ministry is ready to render the Organizing Committee assistance and support."
"Government of Moscow welcomes the project of the leading foreign and Russian antiquarians to hold an International Fine Art & Antiques Fair in the Russian capital. Government of Moscow views the project as an obvious proof of an increasing interest of the international art market in Russia and in the economic and political reforms carried out in this country," Iossif Ordzhonikidze, Deputy Mayor for External Relations in the Government of Moscow said in the greeting message to the Organizing Committee of the fair.
Russia is represented in the Honorary Council of the First Moscow International Fine Art & Antiques Fair by renowned personalities of art and culture, including Irina Antonova, director of Pushkin State Fine Arts Museum, Yelena Gagarina, general director of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Preserve "Moscow Kremlin", Ilya Glazunov, president of Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, Vladimir Nabatchikov, general director of State Museum of Oriental Art, Irina Rodimtseva, director of State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin (1989-2001), Valentin Rodionov, general director of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Alexander Shkurko, director of the State Historical Museum, Yevgeny Stoletov, chairman of Directors’ Board of All-Russian Fund of Culture director of the State Historical Museum, Zurab Tseretely, president of the Russian Academy of Arts, Galina Vedernikova, director of the Museum of the City of Moscow, Alexey Vladimirov, director of Grabar Scientific Centre of Art Restoration, Sergey Khudyakov, Minister of Culture of the Moscow Government.
Organizers hope to get the First Moscow International Fine Art and Antiques Fair ito the same importance as other major international fine art and antique fairs. Therefore, Organizing Committee accepts high-quality exhibitors’ applications of only from fine art & antique galleries that are members of well-known associations such as CINOA, SNA, BADA, FADA, AADLA, AAI etc. or from those having participated in famous fairs.
The main goal of the fair’s Selection Committee is to establish and maintain confidence between exhibitors and the public, both in buying and selling. Selection Committee’s members are experts in their fields of specialization. They are therefore able to provide reliable information and advice to all who would buy antiquities. The authenticity of all fine art and antique items sold at the First Moscow International Fine Art and Antiques Fair would be guaranteed.
Every object d’art at the fair will be examined by a Council of well-known experts in their chosen fields of specialization, from antiquities to art deco — indeed many of them are world authorities.  The public can be safe in the knowledge that all items bought at The First Moscow International Fine Art and Antiques Fair fall under this guarantee. All goods at the Fair would be also fully vetted as an added safeguard to ensure that only the very highest standards expected from exhibitors are represented.
The concept the organizers have pursued was and remains based on quality, tight organizational control and the English language as the global link between the exhibitors.  The total floor area of the Fair is 13,000 sq m; exhibiting stands (booths) area is 5,000 sq m, that’s why the number of exhibitors is limited by 120 or maximum 130 galleries. Every gallery will be provided with interpreters during the whole fair’s duration beginning from Customs clearance procedure.