NiddArt Trail 2021 report
We are preparing for the NiddArt Trail for August 2022 and will shortly send out invitations to previous exhibitors and artists and any new contacts who register on our website. This will follow a similar pattern to last year with artist web pages showing images of their work, biography and details to go live on 1st August. Also webpages, maps and brochures for venues open at various times from August 19th to 29th.
After two years of restrictions, we are hopeful that more community groups and other venues will be open in August 2022
- Nidd Art Trail
- An annual arts and crafts event in and around Nidderdale
- Display of work by amateur & professional artists and craftspeople
- Community groups, art and craft groups and businesses
- Online web pages, open studios, galleries and cafes
NiddArt Trail 2021 report
The 2021 Niddart trail highlighted the vibrant and diverse work of artists, crafts people, and makers of Nidderdale and the surrounding areas both on-line and live.
Artists forged ahead, opening when permitted and with relevant safety procedures in place for a sense of normality for visitor’s enjoyment. 29 venues were able to open and the website had a further 48 web pages of the work of artists, artisans, galleries and art clubs, exhibiting hundreds of works by local people.
Paul created online maps and calendars for each venue and a daily calendar listing the venues.
We printed a limited number of leaflets to list the venues and advertise the website for tourist information, libraries and exhibitors. We displayed banners up and down Nidderdale.
Jane Carlisle Bellerby shared pages and news items on Facebook before and during the trail.
The local press supported the Niddart Trail, as did local magazines, Harrogate residents’ paper, Source, Link and village columns. Radio York invited Ann to open the event on air on the first Friday.
The exhibitors’ pages can still be viewed at www.niddart.org.uk for a short time.
Exhibitor updates in 2021
Sam Cook arranged a display of Dr Lynn Cook’s paintings, prints, printing blocks with explanations, collagraph sources and travel sketch books, creating much interest at No. 6 workshop, King Street.
Gill Kirk showed her prints and paintings along with crafts by local artists in paper, wood, ceramics and glass in her new gallery ‘Jack, Albert & Gill 2’ in King’s Courtyard in Pateley Bridge.
Glassmakers, Sanders and Wallace, were able to open for the first time in many years to join in with new resident mosaic artist, Ruth Wilkinson in King Street studios. Pateley Bridge, joining jewellers Moxon & Simm, ceramics, Fiona Maza, sculptor Joseph Hayton and Bud & Bark.
Briggate Arts Workshops and Studios expanded their displays by resident artists Fiona Odle and Shirley Hudson to include works by 5 local artists during FEVA and the NiddArt Trail.
Knaresborough photography displayed local photographs in Floral Décor in Kirkgate.
Shirley Hudson exhibited paintings in Nidd Church, including her impressive local landscapes of the surroundings of the village of Nidd, and a pair of paintings of cemetery angels in a side chapel.
A new enthusiastic community of artists based in Spa Studios, Starbeck showed their ceramic wares and sculptures and paper-cut artwork in wood and acrylic form.
Clay Paper Scissors ran children’s workshops in the Hexagon Study Barn in Fishponds Woods, Bewerley. The children’s artwork and natural artwork inspired by the surroundings were exhibited.
In upper Nidderdale, Middlesmoor Crafts group reopened the village hall to show their textiles, woodcraft etc. and sell their delicious cakes, Lofthouse Art Group were able to open the bandroom again this year and Nidderdale Way café had photographs by Brian Firth.
Local artists in Glasshouses were able to run an exhibition of a diverse range of art and craftworks in the Broadbelt Hall.
St Andrew’s Church, Blubberhouses were able to open their picturesque, renovated church this year showing paintings and crafts by a returning group of artists.
A new group of embroiderers, Nidderdale Stitchers, showed images of their work on a web page.
Jane Carlisle Bellerby opened her small garden studio in Killinghall to show her silk and mixed media work.
Unfortunately, many local art and craft groups were unable to run exhibitions, but some were able to again contribute with online exhibitions of members’ work on the website.
Finance
We had donations to pay for brochures, signs and other costs from Knaresborough Lions Community Fund and Pateley Bridge Town Council Mayor’s Fund. The venues and artists were organised and funded by themselves.
The major work on communication, photography, image manipulation, website design, data input, social media and publicity was done by volunteers.
Acknowlegements
The organisers thank all the artists, community groups, churches, workshops, galleries and cafes for their participation, donors of money and time and newspapers and Visit Harrogate for publicity and support.
NiddArt Trail organisers
- Ann Kent – Chair & publicity
- Penny Riley-Smith – Secretary
- Charles Mellor – Finance
- Paul Howell – Website and IT
Jane Carlisle Bellerby – social media
Exhibitors August 2021
NiddArt Trail 2021 – 56 exhibitors / groups with 77 web pages
