Exhibition celebrating local artists now open

A new exhibition celebrating local artistry and artists is now officially open at the Nicholson Museum and Art Gallery in Leek.

The annual Open Art exhibition showcases the often otherwise unseen talents of local artists and is organised as part of the Leek Arts Festival.

And there's plenty to see once again this year - over 70 artists have entered their work and there are almost 180 exhibits on display ranging from oils and watercolours to mixed media, sculpture and photography.

With such a wide selection there is undoubtedly something for everyone and we are inviting the public to come along and vote for their favourite piece of work in the ever popular public vote. At the end of the exhibition, when the votes are counted, the artist with the most votes will be awarded the Public Vote Prize.

Councillor Sybil Ralphs, Leader of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and champion of local arts and culture, said: "The Moorlands has a long and illustrious association with the arts which continues to the present day so Leek's Nicholson Gallery is a fitting venue for this exhibition.

"Open Art is fast becoming an established, and much anticipated, feature of the arts calendar which provides unsung artists from our region with the opportunity to exhibit their skills and talents.

"This is an impressive collection - I'd like to congratulate everyone who has submitted their work and urge people to visit the exhibition and show their support for the artists and the team at the Nicholson who together have put on such an excellent event."

The exhibition opened on Saturday (14 April) and runs until Saturday 12 May. Entry is free and the Gallery is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday.