DESPITE the weekend's storms, over 6,000 visitors enjoyed this year's Borders Art Fair - a 20 percent increase on last year.

And more than £100,000 was spent on works by the region's leading contemporary artists throughout the event at Springwood Park.

Over 60 artists, galleries and collectives took part, showcasing a selection of beautiful works and inspiring and delighting visitors from the Borders and beyond.

This year’s Fair also included a series of talks by leading figures in Scotland’s art world including V&A Dundee director Philip Long and Scottish Gallery director Guy Peploe.

The Fair organisers had also arranged a series of activities and workshops for children.

And visitors were also able to enjoy artist-led workshops and demonstrations including figurative drawing and stone letter carving.

Tours of the art and architecture of Borders historic houses, Mellerstain and Marchmont House, were full-booked throughout the weekend and an exhibition and print demonstration by the Royal Scottish Academy in Kelso Town Hall was also a popular addition to the 2019 event.

Borders Art Fair director Frances Fergusson told us: “We’re delighted that we were able to attract an additional 1,000 visitors to this year’s event and are thrilled that the work on show was so well received.

"The aim of the Borders Art Fair is to engage and inspire people of all ages through amazing original work and it’s extremely rewarding to see their reactions as they enjoy the event and to be able to help support the incredibly talented artists who live and work in the Scottish Borders and surrounding areas.”

The Borders Art Fair is part funded by Awards for All, the Fallago Environment Fund, The Scottish Government and the European Scottish Borders LAG LEADER 2014-2020 programme.

Event sponsors include Marchmont Farms, McInroy & Wood Investment Managers, Bruce Stevenson Insurance, Vivid Design Consultancy, Steven Rae Accountancy, Born in the Borders, Milne Graden holiday cottages and Airhouses Self Catering.