An arts and exhibition space that’s been online since the start of the pandemic is due to re-open in April.
Village Art, based at Skelmanthorpe Community Library in Commercial Road, Skelmanthorpe, switched its exhibitions onto Facebook and Instagram in July 2020.
While the social media exhibitions will continue, the library gallery space will re-open on April 4 with an exhibition called ‘Quartet.’
It will feature artwork in four very different genres – photographer Sean Doyle, painter Simon Wood, ceramics artist Krishna Alageswaran and Skelmanthorpe and District U3A Art Group.
Village Art is an enterprise initiated by The Friends of Skelmanthorpe Community Library, supported by Denby Dale Parish Council.
Mike Roberts, who runs Village Art, said the art space closed in March 2020 and its re-opening had been postponed due to the pandemic.
Mike said the intention was to mount three or four ‘major’ exhibitions a year, each lasting a month.
No charge is made to artists but Village Art asks for a discretionary 10% of sales to be donated to The Friends of Skelmanthorpe Library.
It’s a first exhibition for Holme Valley landscape photographer Sean Doyle who said he was excited to present his work.
“I am passionate about photography and I have taken literally thousands of photographs in and around the Holme Valley and the wider Huddersfield area,” he said.
“It was difficult to choose which images to include and I hope people will come and take a look.”
The gallery currently has a display of artwork for sale which raises money for the Help Ukraine Emergency Appeal.
Most of the works are by Kim Onyskiw and at least 25% will be donated to the appeal. There are other works also for sale by Rezwana Sarkar, Andrew Jeffery, Cat Acorns and Frances Lewis and 100% of those proceeds go to the appeal. The Ukraine fundraising exhibition runs until March 26.
The opening hours of the library are as follows: Monday 10am-1pm; Wednesday 10am-6pm; Thursday 10am-12noon; and Friday 10am-1pm.