Take 600 artistic people, 270 locations and the population of Oxfordshire and mix them together. Katherine MacAlister did and reckons Artweeks is well worth a closer look . . .

If art is not really your thing because you hate wandering around galleries and museums, the travelling to and fro, and the high prices, then Oxfordshire Artweeks is for you.

Take my word for it, this is the definitely the best time and place to break the taboo and go to see for yourself the artists in their homes and studios.

Apart from the products being cheaper (the artists don't have to pay exorbitant gallery fees, so they pass the saving on to you), it really is fascinating to have a look at where it all starts and watch the artists themselves at work.

There are 600 painters, sculptors, potters, designers, metalworkers, glass engravers, jewellery makers, and many other craftsmen and women exhibiting their wares in 270 locations around Oxfordshire from today.

Each location is marked with a distinctive blue flag and you'd be daft not to pop in and see what's going on.

The event has been organised to gives you a fascinating insight into how much work actually goes into each piece and provide the best place to pick up a bargain. But you aren't expected to buy anything. Artweeks is a way of introducing Oxfordshire's artists to the general public, many of whom can't afford to exhibit in the city's and towns' galleries, relying instead on private commissions or one-off shows to make a living.

If you are still not convinced, then perhaps a glimpse at the huge variety of exhibits will help lure you off the sofa. From Formula One to designing your own costume, from accessories to narrowboats and from gardens to eco-friendly dyes and jewellery making, it's all there.

If you are more of a hands-on person there are numerous opportunities to try out everything yourself such as potting, photography or woodwork.

Or you could use the opportunity to get out into the country and visit the array of parks, nature reserves and scupture gardens around the county that have been included in Artweeks.

If, on the other hand, you'd rather not stray too far from your own neighbourhood, you can make do with the artists literally on your own doorsteps. For example in Summertown there are 20 artists in less than a square mile.

And there are lots of events for kids too, from mug-painting to producing their own plays. They are even holding their own exhibitions, such as East Oxford First School's multicultural display. The success of Artweeks speaks for itself. It has run for 18 consecutive years and has been such a huge boost for our local artists that many other counties have followed their example and held their own.

And if you are short of time, Artweeks runs for three weeks until June 4, each week covering a separate region, starting with the city, followed by south of the county and then the north.

But please, don't just take my word for it, try it out for yourself. For a free festival brochure send an A5, 39p SAE to Artweeks, The Electric Showroom, 33 West St Helen Street, Abingdon, or telephone 01235 538828, or log on to www.artweeks.org for more details.