Ryedale's professional creative community is coming together to celebrate its success.
Ryedale ArtFest is an exciting new showcase for Ryedale’s artistic talent. A host of artists, craftsmen, galleries and studios will be holding exhibitions and displays across the district over three weeks between 24th September and 15th October. Exhibitions will feature new work on show and for sale in the artists' own studios and at seven Ryedale galleries.
The project is a new initiative by the Ryedale Visual Arts Network to celebrate the region’s diverse, distinctive and high quality artistic talent. Led by Ryedale District Council’s Cultural Officer, Yvette Turnbull, the Visual Arts Network is aimed at raising the profile of the creative industries in the area and gives artists in a rural location a platform to develop and market their work as part of a large support network.
She says of the project, “We’ve been building up the Network over the past four years and this is the first time that the membership has come together to exhibit. I’m really proud of the range and quality of the work and it’s a sign of the strength and depth of Ryedale’s visual arts community that we can put on such a range of exhibitions.”
ArtFest will feature over twenty local artists exhibiting at seven galleries in Ryedale including; Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton le Hole, The Saltbox Gallery, Helmsley, Back o’ the Shop, Terrington, Talents Fine Art, Malton and the Yorkshire Wolds Gallery, Staxton and The Summit Bookshop, Kirkbymoorside. ArtFest will also feature a range of artists opening their studios during the festival giving visitors behind the scenes access to their studios.
Ryedale Folk Museum will be exhibiting the work of five women artists; Sue Gough, June Emerson, Sue Slann, Jackie Stonehouse and Maria Silmon. Curator, Andrew Dalton, says “The five artists showing at Ryedale Folk Museum highlight the breadth of art practice in the area. Works range from painting and digital photography through representation to abstraction. This exhibition and the festival is a great opportunity for visitors to get a real insight into the artists living and working in their region”.
An arts map leaflet will accompany the festival giving details exhibiting artists, galleries and studio times. Leaflets will be available through TICs and participating galleries and for download from the website.
For further information on dates and opening times visit http://www.ryedaleartfest.com/
Or contact artfest@live.co.uk
