A new downtown arts event is aiming big next week, filling the Tampa Convention Center with more than 100 artists, live demonstrations, workshops and four days of public programming.

Art Fair Tampa runs October 15 through 18 at the Tampa Convention Center, bringing together 110 curated artists from across the country in painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media and other disciplines.

The event opens Thursday evening with a VIP Collectors Night, followed by general public hours Friday through Sunday.

Friday and Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while Sunday runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

General admission is free, making the fair an unusually accessible way to browse a large indoor art event in the middle of downtown Tampa.

The Thursday VIP opening is a separate experience with early access, artist meet-and-greets, refreshments, live music and a scheduled ribbon cutting with Mayor Jane Castor.

Organizers say the fair will occupy more than 100,000 square feet and is designed to attract collectors, gallery owners, casual art fans and people who may be attending a major art fair for the first time.

That last group may be the most interesting audience for a free event.

Large art fairs can sometimes feel intimidating, but this one is being promoted as a community-focused experience where visitors can meet the artists and learn how the work is made.

In addition to the exhibition booths, the schedule includes artist demonstrations, workshops, panel discussions and special events.

That gives visitors a reason to do more than walk the aisles and look at finished pieces.

Painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, ceramics, jewelry, textiles and printmaking are among the mediums represented in the fair’s artist program.

For Tampa Bay residents, the location is another advantage.

The Tampa Convention Center sits along the Riverwalk at 333 S. Franklin Street, within walking distance of Water Street, downtown restaurants, hotels and the streetcar line.

That makes the fair easy to turn into a half-day downtown outing rather than a single-stop event.

Visitors can spend a few hours inside, then walk the waterfront or continue toward nearby dining and entertainment.

Because this is the first edition of the event, it is also worth watching how Tampa responds to a large-scale art fair format.

The city already has strong museum, gallery and mural communities, but a multi-day convention-center fair creates a different kind of marketplace by putting independent artists and collectors under one roof.

For artists, that means direct exposure to a large regional audience.

For visitors, it means the chance to compare styles, prices and mediums without driving between galleries.

Families may also find the event approachable because organizers are advertising family-friendly activities alongside the more collector-focused programming.

With free public admission Friday through Sunday, the biggest decision may simply be when to go.

Friday offers the freshest look after opening night, Saturday should bring the biggest weekend crowd, and Sunday gives slower browsers a final chance before the fair closes at 4 p.m.

If Art Fair Tampa catches on, it could become another annual reason for art buyers and curious locals to spend a fall weekend downtown.

Official information: Art Fair Tampa, the event schedule, and the Tampa Convention Center.