Artists all over Somerset will be welcoming visitors to community halls, galleries, artists’ studios, farm buildings and a range of unusual venues in October.
Local people and visitors to Somerset will be able to tour the county’s towns and villages discovering art at over 100 locations across the county.
More than 350 artists are taking part in this year’s Somerset Art Weeks Festival, Many of the artists are taking their inspiration from this year’s festival theme – ‘Momentum’. Interpretations of the theme range from walks through the landscape to illustrations of the creation of the universe.
‘Momentum’ was chosen as the theme for this year’s Festival, to inspire the artistic journey for artists and audiences. Somerset is often referred to as the county you drive through to get somewhere else, so Somerset Art Weeks aims to highlight aspects of the county which people may not otherwise notice.
The artists’ work on display will include painting, glass, willow weaving, ceramics, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, film and sound sculpture.
There will be new work created at locations across the county including Brean Down Fort, the Twineworks at West Coker, and the Tithe Barn in Stoke Sub Hamdon.
The Festival stretches over the Somerset border to include Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Royal United Hospital Bath and 44AD in Bath. Through working in partnership with venues outside the county, the festival is set to attract audiences from further afield.
Somerset Art Weeks Festival organiser Zoe Li said, “The Festival is a great way to explore the county. You can take a tour around some of the lanes and discover new places where there is some fantastic art on display. We’re so lucky to have such talent in Somerset and there’s such a range of people taking part, from newly emerging artists to internationally recognised talent.”
Somerset Art Weeks is an annual countywide celebration of the variety and quality of contemporary visual art that can be found in Somerset. The Festival takes place every other year, alternating with the biennial Open Studios event.
This year’s Festival runs from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 18th October. A free full colour guide with maps and information about all the venues is available from shops, arts venues, libraries and Tourist Information Centres in Somerset.
Guides are also available by post by sending an A4 stamped self-addressed envelope with £1.26 (1st Class) or £1.19 (2nd Class) postage to SAW Ltd, Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset TA10 9PR. Information and an interactive pdf Guide also available at somersetartworks.org.uk /artweeks15
