Eighty galleries from the traditional art hubs of Mayfair and St James in Central London are staging a weekend of special events on July 5 and 6,  the Antiques Trade Gazette reports.

Spearheaded by John Martin, from Albemarle Gallery, the initiative is conceived as a reaffirmation of the important role the area plays for the art trade.

Although Mayfair hosts several blue chip dealers such as Hauser & Wirth and David Zwirner, smaller ventures have recently suffered greatly from stratospheric hikes in rents and the sheer pressure on real estate exerted in one of the world’s most exclusive postcodes.

Recently, several galleries on Cork Street have had to close or relocate as two large sites were being redeveloped.

Westminster City Council has proposed new measures to protect art galleries in the neighborhood, with the establishment of a “special policy area” around Cork Street, Bond Street, Albemarle Street, and Dover Street.

The gallery weekend’s organizer, Martin praised the council’s “amazing vision.” “Raising public awareness by getting them through the door is the first step to turning them into collectors,” he said.

“What Westminster have been doing could well be a blueprint for other local authorities in helping art and antiques come alive again,” he continued. “This idea has come together over the past three weeks and has galvanized everyone in the area.”