Frieze Los Angeles and how to plan your February week

Frieze Los Angeles brings together galleries from Los Angeles, the rest of the United States and abroad, showing contemporary and modern work in booths across the fair site at Santa Monica Airport. Los Angeles galleries are strongly represented, which makes the fair a good introduction to the city's scene.

• Read the exhibitor list in advance and mark priority booths on the floor plan.
• Frieze opens in Los Angeles with a VIP day for invited collectors before tickets for the public apply.
• A half day to a full day is enough to see the fair at a comfortable pace.
• February weather on the west side is usually mild, but evenings can be cool. Bring a layer.

Santa Monica Airport sits on the west side of Los Angeles, inland from the beach. Most visitors arrive by rideshare or car, and the fair usually publishes its own guidance on parking, drop off and shuttles. Allow generous time, because traffic on the west side is heavy during fair week. Culver City's gallery cluster is not far away, which makes it a natural next stop.

The challenge of the week is distance. Galleries, satellite fairs and events are spread across the city, so plan by neighborhood.

• Pair the fair with Culver City on the same day, since both are on the west side.
• Give Hollywood and West Hollywood a day together, and the Downtown Arts District a separate half day.
• Satellite fairs and pop up shows open around the city the same week. Pick the ones close to your gallery route.
• Many galleries open their strongest exhibitions of the year that week, with openings often in the evenings.
• Our art galleries los angeles guide covers each district in detail.

Ask the person at the booth desk for the priced list of works; Los Angeles galleries often send it by email or as a viewing room link the same day.

• Ask about a work by title and gallery, and photograph the label.
• During a Frieze week in Los Angeles a hold may last only a few hours, since several collectors can be weighing the same piece.
• If a work is sold, ask whether related work is available at the gallery's space in Los Angeles or elsewhere.
• Ask what the price includes. California sales tax may apply depending on delivery, and crating and shipping usually appear as separate lines on the invoice.

California sales tax and shipping usually appear on the invoice, and our guide to buying from a gallery explains each line.

Preparation matters more in Los Angeles than at most fairs, because the week spreads across the whole city.

• Make a short list of galleries and artists, and find them on the floor plan before you arrive.
• Ask galleries you already follow whether they will be at the fair and what they plan to bring. Many send a PDF of available works or a private viewing room link in advance.
• Map the openings you want to attend by neighborhood, then choose one area per evening.
• Keep a simple list during the day with gallery, title and price, so follow up emails are quick to write.

Keep first questions short and specific at busy booths, ask before photographing work, and leave your email with galleries you want to hear from. At gallery openings during the week, crowds can be large and often spill outdoors. For a real conversation about a work, ask the gallery whether you can return to the space on a quieter day after the fair.

Send one short email after the fair, naming Frieze Los Angeles, the gallery and the work by title, with one clear question about price, availability or related work. Give galleries a few days to catch up. If you live outside Los Angeles, mention your city so the gallery can include shipping in its answer. The art fairs calendar lists what comes after the February fair.