UTRECHT.- A new artfair, open to all professional galleries in the Netherlands and abroad, will open its doors in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on September 9th 2008. 92 Dutch and foreign galleries will be showing works by contemporary artists.

The Open Art Fair is an international fair with a wide scope for all contemporary expressions, styles and trends in various media, such as painting, sculpture, glass, ceramics and jewellery.

The accessible nature of the event and the extensive range of art on offer make the Open Art Fair a must for every art lover.

All galleries which comply with certain objective criteria of professionality are invited to participate. This policy has made the art on offer wide and accessible and therefore the organizers expect great public interest.

In every province of the country a gallery has been appointed ambassador for the artfair: Mark Peet Visser uit Heusden, Wiek XX uit Nieuweschans, Collectie Harms Rolde uit Rolde, Galerie Rademakers uit Amsterdam, Post & Garcia uit Maastricht, Galerie Besselaar uit Utrecht, Hofstede Galerie Lijn 3 uit Geersdijk, Fondation Vromans uit IJlst, Wanrooij uit Duiven.

Among the foreign participants are the galleries: Art Thema from Brussel, Gaudí from Madrid, en Svenska from Malmö.

The official opening of the art fair on the 9th of September will be conducted by Herman van Veen, comedian, singer/songwriter and visual artist as well as a prominent citizen of Utrecht who will be represented on the art fair by Gallery Ipomal.

BuroDijkstra from Rotterdam contributes something special to the opening night: the DJ mobile - a spectacular mobile audio artwork by artist Olaf Mooij.

The opening night is accessible for all interested. The fair will be open that evening from 6.00 - 10.00 p.m. and the opening ceremony will take place on the Rietveld terrace at 7.00 p.m.

Exhibition in the Open Art Pavilion of the works of the members of the Committee of Honour
In the Open Art Pavilion in the art fair a unique exhibition will be arranged with the works of the 5 famous Dutch artists who together form the Committee of Honour of the Open Art Fair.

Never before were their works of these great artists to be admired in the same exhibition: de schilders Gerti Bierenbroodspot, Henk Helmantel, Ans Markus en Evert Thielen en beeldhouwer Kees Verkade.

In the 125 m2 pavilion several works of each artists, among which some very recent ones, will be on show, totalling approximately 75 works.

On Wednesday 10, Thursdy 11 and Friday 12 September the art fair will be dedicated to a special theme, respectively painting, sculpture and fotografie.
In the Moesman Room in the fair lectures will be held by artists, collectors and experts which can be attended by the visitors, who can also participate in guided tours focused the subject of the day.