New Art Group Covers Arlington, Wilmington and Berwick
The rural area around Arlington, Wilmington, Upper and Lower Dicker, Selmeston and Berwick, falls outside the areas covered by the bigger arts festivals such as Lewes Artwave, Eastbourne Arts Festival and Hailsham Arts Festival so Arlington Arts Group are setting up their own events to put rural areas on the arts map.
A regular thursday evening painting and drawing group has been running for about 2 and a half years in Arlington Village Hall and is looking for more members - and is booking in professional demonstrators. The group are extending the annual Arlington Art, Craft and Flower Festival to included weekday exhibitions and arts workshops in the craft marquee for local schoolchildren.
Other exhibitions are planned in Berwick and Selmeston. A Concert of Local Talent, including poetry and prose readings is planned to be held in St Pancras Church, Arlington and the group hopes to work with local pubs, cafes and other venues to bring professional musicians into the area and to provide opportunities for local musicians to perform.
There are many untapped venues in rural areas - farmland, barns, under-used village halls, churches, large country properties and gardens, empty light industrial units - all of which, with careful negotiation with the owners, could possibly be used for small arts events.
Many art groups, sewing circles (including the Stitch'n'bitch sessions), book groups and local bands exist in the area - Arlington Arts Group hopes to co-ordinate activities to bring greater opportunities into the area for growth, networking and, quite simply, enjoyment of the arts.
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