Locals show off their talent
and green fingers

June 3 , 2006

From paintings to pots and arbours to organics, Calderdale people are sharing their artistic talents and gardening secrets during the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival.

The festival, which runs from July 1 to 16, with a programme of drama, music, exhibitions, film, talks and street entertainment, is also a chance for people to discover local treasures.

More than 30 artists and craftspeople are opening their studios to the public, and more than 20 householders are opening their gardens – perfect for ideas-seekers or the simply curious.

At Sue Candy’s Underbank Avenue workshop, for example, visitors can see hand-built and decorated porcelain boxes; while at Richard Wincer’s Linden Mill studio, it will be woodcuts and oil paintings on display.

Other studios will be showing jewellery, wall hangings, ceramics, handmade cards and gouache landscapes.

There are exhibitions of work by local artists too, including multimedia painter Kate Boyce, showing at the Calder Gallery on Market Street, Hebden Bridge; woven tapestries by Ros Bryant at Organic House, and group shows at Milly’s Café and St Michael’s Church Hall in Mytholmroyd.

The open gardens offer a huge variety of attractions too – from a small school garden with a dinosaur path to a one-acre artist’s garden with garden pavilion ‘sitooterie’.

Others include gardens with Mediterranean-style planting, an idiosyncratic willow plantation, an organic garden clinging on at 900ft above sea-level and a contemporary cottage garden designed last year by local designer Debbie Oakley.

Programmes and booking forms are available from the festival office on Albert Street, Hebden Bridge or by calling 01422 842684. Details and regular news bulletins can also of course be found here at www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/festival.