BUDAPEST, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Art Market, the international contemporary art fair of Budapest, which features Russia as guest of honor, started here on Thursday.

The art market, which lasts until Sunday, displays thousands of works by some 500 artists from 25 countries and regions.

"Major international art scene centers such as London, New York, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Moscow and Madrid are also represented," the organizers said in a statement before the opening of the art market.

"Art market gives an emphasized presence to fresh and inspiring galleries and artists including the now emerging stars of the future, and places new artistic inspirations in the focus," the organizers said, adding that about fifty artists are coming from Russia.

Before the opening, deputy mayor of Budapest Alexandra Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that the Hungarian capital had been a supporter of the Art Market for years, which has now become an inevitable art event in the region.

Over 30,000 international visitors are expected to attend the four-day event.