A creative hub in Newcastle is opening its doors for free this weekend and inviting visitors to take part in some festive crafts.
The Lime Street Open Studios event in the Ouseburn will see a range of studios offer free entry between 10am and 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday so that members of the public can meet the artists, take part in workshops, watch demonstrations and enjoy live performances. There also will be a raffle at the entrance, with each ticket being an opportunity to win a limited-edition print, plus a treasure hunt around the building.
Experts including print-makers, visual artists and potters will lead workshops and among the sessions on offer to Saturday's visitors will be jewellery-making, at noon and 3.30pm, with places available - on a first-come, first-served basis - to make a colourful brooch with a textile artist. An exhibition of new work by the Lime Street artists also will be on display in the gallery and the weekender will be an opportunity to wander around their studio spaces and buy, or even commission, work.
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Over both two days other workshops will include paper crafts such as making a 'rockin' robin' and a festive bauble; 'clay play' for those keen to try out some pottery skills and a drop-in Creative Collage Corner for families. Demonstrations will include lithography print-making and adding to the bustling atmosphere will be piano recitals every half-hour.
Ouseburn Trust also will have a stall. And on Sunday anyone keen to learn about the traditions of proggy mat-making will be able to do so, with a drop-in collaborative workshop on offer from noon onwards.
The weekender is part of the wider Ouseburn Open Studios event which first got under way in 1994. The address 36 Lime Street - a Grade ll-listed building in the heart of the Ouseburn valley - houses more than 40 artists including sculptors, painters, glass artists, jewellers, ceramicists, designers, furniture makers, puppeteers and photographers.
There will be 28 of them involved during the free-entry event this Saturday and Sunday. For more information about the artists and the venue see here.
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