Gargrave is to be involved in a national arts event over the coming months.

Chrysalis Arts, the Gargrave-based public art company, has been awarded funding as part of the Year of the Artist to undertake an international arts project in the village.

The Year of the Artist is a national initiative drawn up by the Arts Council of England, and the local project, entitled Artists in Transition, has been developed by the company over the past 12 months.

Between now and May 22, five visual artists, two film makers and a dance animateur will be creating work inspired and influenced by the cultural life of the village and its surrounding landscape.

For the first three weeks, three Chrysalis artists, Kate Maddison, Rick Faulkner and Tony Stephenson, will be working with two Finnish artists, Anu Kiiskinen and Leif Strengell, to create work, which is inspired by Gargrave.

"This is a rare opportunity for Chrysalis to work locally and to create work that is different from the kind of projects we usually undertake," commented Rick Faulkner.

He added: "For example, most of our work involves creating permanent artworks and takes place in cities. and we rarely have the opportunity to produce anything temporary.

"For this project we are working in a completely different way and it will be based around a series of temporary installations, which people will be able to see at a special viewing evening on Saturday May 19."

The work will be presented via a walk around the village starting at Chrysalis' base, The Art Depot, in Eshton Road, and there will be two viewing opportunities starting at 7.30pm and 9pm.

There will be an exhibition at Gargrave Village Hall to see en route and other artworks using light, photography and projection.

As well as producing their own work, the artists are creating opportunities for local people to get involved.

Leif Strengell will be running a workshop using plaster casting techniques on the theme of Creating your own Landscape during the weekend of May 12 and 13.

The workshop will take place at Gargrave Village Hall and the aim is to create a temporary landscape and seating area outside the Village Hall. People of all ages are invited to take part.

Kate Maddison, will run a workshop with Gargrave School which will give every child in the school the opportunity to create their own individual garden wind sculptures.

And two Finnish film students, Susanne Hedman and Martin Karlsson, are working with young people from Gargrave and the surrounding area to produce two short films.

"Although the project has been affected by foot and mouth restrictions, and was originally planned to take place on walks around Gargrave, the parish council and village hall committee have been very supportive and helped us to relocate it in the centre of the village," said Mr Faulkner.

"Without their assistance, we would not have been able to go ahead with it."

The project has been supported by Craven District Council, Craven Counts, Leader II European Funding, Gargrave Parish Council and Yorkshire Arts.

Chrysalis Arts can be contacted for further information on 01756 749222.