Birmingham's Barber Institute is one of dozens of art galleries hoping to have one of their collection named The Greatest Painting In Britain.

The University of Birmingham-based gallery is taking part in one of the UK's biggest ever interactive events for the visual arts.

Over the next six weeks, the public is voting for their favourite paintings with the result announced on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on September 4.

Barber spokesman Andrew Davies said: " When she founded the gallery, Lady Barber stipulated that the pictures hanging here should be 'of that standard required by the National Gallery or the Wallace Collection'.

Based on visitor comments and postcard and print sales, the Barber believes its most popular paintings are Degas' Jockeys Before the Race, Johan Christian Dahl's Mother and Child by the Sea, Rossetti's Pre-Raphaelite The Blue Bower, Whistler's Symphony in White, No 3 and Elisabeth Vig>e-Lebrun's Portrait of Countess Golovine.

* Before August 8 the public are able to vote for any painting in Britain via the Today programme website at www.bbc.co.uk/today or by sending nomination to The Greatest Painting in Britain, The Today Programme, Room G630, Stage 6, Television Centre, Wood Lane, London W12 7RJ. Nominations can also be made at the Barber, where visitors can fill in their nomination and hand it in to the receptionist.