LONDON.- Featuring 140 of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries – culled from a list of more than 400 applicants – this year the fair will host new additions from Moscow, Beijing, Melbourne and Auckland, as well as some notable new participants from mainland Europe and USA, alongside many of those from last year’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful inaugural event. Showing over 1,000 artists – all housed in London’s Regents Park, in an enlarged temporary structure designed by architect David Adjaye – Frieze Art Fair 2004 will be the largest single contemporary art exhibition ever staged in the UK.

The supporting programme of events includes commissions by leading artists; talks with leading art professionals; educational events for local schools; and a music programme. This October will see London play host to a major city-wide art festival.

One thing is certain: with 40,000 estimated visitors, including some of the biggest players in the art world, this is one week in the calendar when London will indisputably be the most important city for art.