Well, it's something that certainly gets my vote of approval: a promising coalition of art and design.

Interior Design 2007 is now in its third year and has firmly established itself on the calendar of anyone with an interest in Irish and international contemporary design. But even more exciting is its small coalition partner, the inaugural Art 2007 Dublin Art Fair.

There has been plenty of talk about auction sales recently but that's really only part of the story when it comes to buying and selling art. Art fairs in particular are becoming increasingly important sales forums, with major fairs such as Frieze, Basel, Miami and Cologne bringing in thousands of visitors and collectors from all over the world. "It seemed the right time to do it [in Dublin]; art fairs are so established now in so many places and there wasn't one here, " says the event's design consultant, Helen Mason.

Art 2007 is Ireland's first proper art fair and, while it is on a relatively small scale this year, the organiser, Louis O'Sullivan, and Mason have big ambitions. They invited 18 of Ireland's foremost commercial galleries to take part in the event, which is modelled on international art fairs, in particular Arco in Madrid. The hope is that in future years it will increase in size, break away from the interior-design showcase and present international as well as Irish galleries.

This year's fair will demonstrate the range of art available on the Irish market, from Ireland's most highly regarded painters at the prestigious Fenderesky and Taylor galleries, to cutting-edge, internationally renowned artists at the Kerlin, Green on Red and Rubicon, to bright young talents at the Stone and Cross galleries, and more experimental, challenging art from Four and Mother's Tankstation. Not only will this give a cross-section of the market, it will also demonstrate, within a condensed, accessible format, the vibrancy of the Irish art scene.

The show should appeal to both seasoned collectors and first-time buyers, who may not be aware of what's out there, what they like, or indeed which galleries to go to. What can be guaranteed by attending a presentation of such high-calibre galleries, though, is that whatever you choose to buy, it will be of high standard and purchased from the leading players in the field. (This is in stark contrast to Art Ireland, a fair which has been running at the RDS for some years now but which, to put it bluntly, features work of variable quality and by few gallery-represented artists. ) The fair should also help raise the profile of the galleries themselves. For Mother's Tankstation director Finola Jones, Art 2007 is one of many international fairs in which the gallery participates.

"For us this is particularly important because f we seem to be known more internationally than we are locally and I'm hoping it will be very good for people to see the artists we are supporting, " she says.

"It's just great that it's happening here on our own doorstep."

Interior Design 2007 + Art 2007, RDS. Open to the public from 18-20 May. Admission: /10.

www. interiordesign2007. ie