Sheffield’s Open Up art event turns 21

Open Up Sheffield, which is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, will showcase the best of local art once again this weekend.

The event gives the public an opportunity to see work in progress, ask the makers and crafters questions about the products they are making and the materials and processes they are using, make a purchase, or commission a bespoke piece of artwork.

The annual showcase, which has free admission and is family friendly, has grown steadily over the years.

Chair Annette Petch said: "This a great opportunity for the public to interact with artists.”

Most of the studios are in Sheffield, although the map stretches to Barnsley, opening up opportunities for people to meet and talk to artists who work in a wide range of forms.  They include watercolour, oil and acrylic paints, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, wood, glass, photography, print and mixed media.

Last year, over 100 individual independent artists and ten groups participated in the event, a record figure.

The artists who are taking part this year will open their doors on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 4 to 6, and for those who can not make these dates there will be another chance to visit on May 11 and 12.

Visit www.openupsheffield.co.uk to find out more about the event and to see the full list of openings.