Festival is all change (From Stroud News and Journal)

Festival is all change

IT'S ALL change for the seventh Stroud Valleys Visual Arts Festival this June, as the Festival will not include the open studios programme of previous years.

For the last six years the festival has been organised on an annual basis, relying on funds raised each year.

Organisers Stroud Valleys Artspace are now working on raising funds in a block for 2004 to 2007 in the hope they can raise funding to support a bigger festival.

"The festival has almost outgrown our capacity to organise it," said Jo Leahy.

"With almost 200 artists participating the festival has become understandably complicated.

We feel it has the potential to become a major attraction to the area and securing three year funding will enable us to work all year round to enable this to happen."

In the meantime this year's Festival will focus on themed exhibitions and small group shows.

It runs throughout June and will include exhibitions of members' work at Stroud's Museum in the Park and Thrupp's Dyers Mill Gallery.

"Many of the public and private art galleries in and around Stroud will also be holding special exhibitions to mark the Festival," added Jo.

"There will also be shows and workshops held in public venues including the Subscription Rooms and Ruskin Mill."

There will once again be especially commissioned banners by artist Shona Watt around the centre of Stroud.

A free festival programme will be available in May. Further details can be obtained by sending an SAE to Stroud Valleys Artspace, 4 John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA or by e-mailing Openstudios@sva.org.uk