  We present the first results of an ongoing spectroscopic survey of galaxies
selected in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV). The redshift distribution extends
over 0<z<0.5 and a high fraction of the sources show intense nebular emission
lines and UV-optical colours bluer than normal Hubble sequence galaxies.
Although our sample is currently small, we derive a rest-frame UV luminosity
function with a steep faint end slope consistent with that found for late-type
galaxies in optical samples. However, the integrated luminosity density derived
implies a volume-averaged star formation rate higher than other recent
estimates, assuming a normal initial mass function. If representative of other
UV fields, our data implies the local abundance of star-forming galaxies may
have been underestimated and consequently claims for strong evolution in the
global star formation rate in the range 0<z<1 overstated.
