Poverty-stricken artists from Russia have been finding financial success in Sussex as part of a new fair trade initiative.

Horsham-based Robin Mitchell organised the project after meeting a young woman from Moscow unable to make ends meet by selling her paintings.

Robin said: "Artists are being exploited by dealers travelling to Russia to buy good-quality art work at low prices and selling it on for vast profit in the West.

"It's a scandal that these people are treated this way.

"Artists all over the world struggle for recognition but it is very difficult for many Russians who are only just entering a commercial world to understand how it works."

Until last year, Robin had no involvement with the art world.

Now she helps to run Galereya (Russian for gallery) in Arundel and is busily promoting an exhibition of paintings and sculpture by six young Russian artists.

The international art connections were forged when Robin was pursuing her main career as managing director of Real Language Ltd, a company providing English courses for overseas visitors wanting specific business language skills.

Evelina Lee, a graduate from the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts, spent two months in Sussex last year to learn the business language of graphic design on a Real Language Ltd scheme.

Robin was impressed with the 25-year-old's artistic portfolio but was disappointed to hear the work was not profitable in Russia.

She said: "I was shocked that qualified people were being made to take other jobs, such as graphic design, because they could not make a living as an artist."

Fuelled by a sense of injustice, Robin arranged for an exhibition in March this year of work by Evelina and three other Russian art graduates.

More than half the items were sold and the artists were paid sale prices they had set themselves.

Spurred on by the success, preparations were quickly made for the latest more ambitious exhibition at the Galereya.

Robin said: "The work is all excellent quality.

"All six artists involved are graduates of art school - they are highly trained and motivated young people.

"We now hope that a business will come and support us with sponsorship so we can do even more in the future.

"Each exhibition costs around £5,000 and sponsorship could make a real difference."

Evelina and fellow artist Anna Novosyolova have travelled to Sussex for the current exhibition and hope to raise enough money this summer to continue the collaboration.

Evelina said: "We feel so lucky to have this opportunity to take part in this event because everyone we have met in England has been very friendly and appreciative of our art."

The exhibition, called Six Russian Artists, can be seen at Galereya, Castle Mews, Arundel, until August.