Search on for artists for 2017 Wirksworth Festival

Do you want to showcase your work to over 4,000 people in one place? The annual Art & Architecture Trail, part of the Wirksworth Festival, may be right up your street and applications for artists to exhibit at this year’s Festival are now open. 

Taking place on 9 - 10 September, the Trail is the opening weekend event showcasing more than 150 artists and designer makers in over 70 venues across the Derbyshire Dales’ town. The town comes alive with contemporary visual art and craft and street theatre, music and film. A curated exhibition of well-known and up and coming artists forms the centre piece of the Trail in the Parish Room and St Mary’s Church. 

Exceptional, engaging and high quality artists are selected each year for the Art & Architecture Trail and is a chance to buy first-class affordable art, meet the artists and peek inside some of Derbyshire’s most distinctive homes. 

Private homes from lead miners’ cottages to fine Georgian townhouses, together with historic buildings, gardens, courtyards, shop windows and churches, become galleries for works ranging from paintings, photography, ceramics, and jewellery to textiles, sculpture and installation.

Last year’s trail weekend attracted over 4,000 people from all over the region and further afield. 

“As well as the opportunity for a huge number of people to see your work, it’s a great opportunity to meet art buyers and network with other artists and designer-makers,” said the Festival Chair, Carol Taylor.

“We might be biased but it really is a great event for visitors, artists and would-be art professionals alike,” added Carol. “Back in 2014 we commissioned research to estimate the monetary value for artists and it revealed that that year’s Festival saw artists take at least £40,000 in sales and even more work was commissioned. That’s not bad for an event in a small, rural Derbyshire town.”

Applications should be made online at http://www.wirksworthfestival.co.uk/apply-to-exhibit  by 12 May.  

Now in its 38th year, Wirksworth Festival promotes the work of artists and designer makers to a large and diverse audience. This year’s Festival runs from 8 - 24 September and a full programme of events will be publicised nearer the time. More information and updates can be found at www.wirksworthfestival.co.uk

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