LONDON, ENGLAND.- After almost two centuries of public collecting - and a long involvement in the understanding and interpretation of paintings throughout the country - the National Gallery is inviting everyone in the UK to join a debate on our arts heritage: which are the greatest paintings in Britain, and what do they say about us as a nation?

Conceived as the UK's biggest interactive event for the visual arts, 'The Greatest Painting in Britain' is believed to be the first ever national poll of paintings to be held anywhere in the world.

Developed in partnership with BBC Radio Four Today, the event is an invitation to everyone in the country to celebrate visual art in the UK: to think carefully about our favourite paintings, old or new, British or foreign, John Constable or Damian Hirst.

The public will be able to vote for any painting currently in Britain. Regardless of who painted it, or when it was painted - if it is a painting, and it is currently exhibited somewhere in the UK, people can vote for it.

Every collection in the country, public and private, will be encouraged to take part.

'With recently expanded galleries in Bristol, Gateshead, London, Manchester, Salford and Southampton seeing record attendances, and exhibitions in London attracting attention from around the world,' says Charles Saumarez Smith, Director of the National Gallery, 'there has never been a better time to celebrate the country's rich heritage and discover which of our paintings move us the most'.

In a medium as intensely personal as the visual arts, there will of course be a debate around the question itself: what is a 'great' painting; how can one painting be 'greater' than another; can any painting really be 'the greatest'?

Together with its panel of celebrity advocates, the National Gallery is hoping to find the answer. Or hundreds of thousands of answers.

Launching in July 2005, the event will be broadcast over six weeks on the 'Today Programme', concluding with a live final at the National Gallery in September.

The 'Today Programme' website - www.bbc.co.uk/today - will be the forum for nominations, discussion and voting for shortlisted paintings. Visitors to the 'Today Programme' website will not only be able to vote for their favourite painting, but also record their comments and read those of other voters. The result will be a dynamic interactive debate, giving everyone in the country a voice.

'In partnership with the National Gallery and outstanding figures from the arts,' says James Naughtie of BBC Radio Four Today, 'we want to inspire people to visit the country's collections: to look at art, to think about art, to talk about art - and to make judgements.'