‘Art for Life’ was established in 2007 by a group called ‘Bath Open Art Fair’ comprising three artists and led by local artist David Seymour.

The intention of the group was threefold:

1. To provide all competent artists in Bath and South West England with a chance to sell original paintings in an open, unjudged forum on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
2. To give 40% of all sales of artworks to the Royal United ‘Forever Friends Appeal Fund’.
3. To give the public an opportunity to buy reasonably priced works of art and at the same time give a high percentage of that sale to a worthy cause in the form of the NICU (neo natal intensive care unit) ‘Space to Grow’ campaign at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

‘Art for Life’ provides the biggest outlet for the sales of paintings to the public in Bath. More than 500 paintings are on show to the general public, who have free entry to the event.

‘Art for Life’ is set up under cover in the beautiful and well lit converted grade II listed Green Park railway station in Bath.

Support for ‘Art for Life’ was, and is, provided by ‘Zenith International’ with support from the ‘Quartet Community Foundation’.

In the first year of 2007, the fair successfully sold £23,000 worth of paintings to the general public, thus providing £10,000 for premature and desperately ill babies at the RUH.

In 2008, the organisers intend to double that target and so provide the Royal United Hospital NICU ‘Space to Grow’ campaign with a figure of £20,000.

In 2008 ‘Art for Life’ will run from 20th May to 1st June inclusive alongside, and in conjunction with ‘The Bath International Music Festival’.