North West

1. Be prepared to put a lot of effort in to become a collector.

2. Visit as many galleries, art colleges and exhibitions as you can to see what's out there.

Train your eye. Look, look, look...

3. Don't limit yourself to Britain - art is now global.

Jacey Normand with Frank Cohen.

Visit the best art fairs around the world such as Art Basel.

4. Go and meet the artists and dealers - build up relationships with them over a period of time.

Find out who the best art students are at the moment and go to their exhibitions.

5. Never be in a rush to buy a piece of art. Do your homework.

Try and see as much of the artist's work as possible to see how he or she is developing and then make the decision to only buy the best of the work.

6. Never buy for an investment. Buy because you love it.

If it's a good artist and good work then the investment will take care of itself.

Looking for art investments.

7. Buy what you can afford.

Sometimes dealers will help with special terms of payment e.g. rather than paying all at once, spread the cost over an extended period such as a year or 18 months.

8. If you have a lot of money and want to become a serious art collector, find a special advisor who has the expertise, knows the world markets and deals in big money.

9. Most importantly don't be afraid to walk into galleries.

Historically they may have the reputation for being elitist and snooty but times are changing. People from all walks of life buy art now.

10. Enrol on an art course where you can be taken to galleries to learn more about the art and artists.

About the Buy Art Fair...

The Buy Art Fair takes place in Manchester 9-12 October 2008

If you have a small or large art collection or you want to start one, the Buy Art Fair is  a date to add to your calendar.

Galleries from around the UK will be showing a range of paintings, ceramics, sculpture and photography from a whole host of different artists and genres.

There will be something to match every budget.