London's first contemporary arts fair draws 28,000 in four days

LONDON, Oct 21 (AFP) - London's first contemporary arts fair, showing works by more than 300 artists, drew 28,000 visitors in four days and will be held each year, one of its organisers said.

The Frieze Art Fair which ended Monday displayed works of art from 124 galleries, more than half of them foreign.

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"There are many places in the world where contemporary arts fairs are held but we thought it was good for London to have one," the organiser said.

Earlier this month Paris staged the 30th edition of its FIAC contemporary arts fair amid anxieties about growing competition. Basel in Switzerland and its year-old Florida clone Art Basel Miami have been attracting buyers and 200, 000 people turned up at the last ARCO fair in Madrid.

In the last two years FIAC has drawn no more than 70,000 visitors, well down from the 150,000 who came in 1992.

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