MORE than 125 artists from the UK and around the globe will arrive in Oxford this weekend to showcase their work.

The first Oxford International Art Fair opens from today to Sunday in the Town Hall on St Aldate’s.

It has attracted exhibitors from Russia, Scandinavia and the United States.

Organiser and Botley resident Joelle Dinnage, 29, who works for the Oxford-based Global Arts Agency, said it was exciting to see months of preparation pay off.

She said: “We staged an outdoor art fair last summer in Oxford, but this is the first international one.

“The agency organises events around the world and we had so many exhibitors who wanted to come to Oxford so we thought it was time to do something big here.”

She has been co-organising the event with colleague Natal Vallve, 37, from Barcelona, who arrived in the city on Thursday.

Ms Dinnage added: “Oxford is a city of culture so artists have flown in from everywhere to be here.

“Art is a good investment and there is a wide range of things to see so I am really excited.”

Charlbury artist Kieran Stiles will exhibit his paintings of island clusters in the Atlantic, which he made while visiting the Isles of Scilly, off Cornwall’s west coast.

The event, he said, would be a great opportunity to meet other artists.

Mr Stiles, 43, added: “It should be really good fun because the social life of an artist is not always great so I’m going to enjoy walking around, seeing who’s doing what.

“Joelle is so dynamic and entrepreneurial and up for making things happen.

“They have things like this in London all the time so it’s great to have it come to Oxford.”

For further information people should visit theoxfordartfair.com