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New Craven Arts House up and running in old Skipton school building

Local charity Craven Arts has opened the doors on its new studio and exhibition space on Otley Street in Skipton after a major refurbishment.

The Craven Arts House at 55 Otley Street was originally home to the Parish Church school, Craven College and then a youth centre, but in recent years had fallen into disrepair and was unused.

The purchase of the building and its refurbishment by Craven District Council ensures the future success of the building as an arts centre. The building has strong green credentials with solar panels and air source heat pumps.

Inside are creative studio spaces, an education room (with art and craft courses), meeting room, community hall and green screen room. Craven Arts is also kitting out a suite of soundproof music rooms, aimed at young people and available to hire. 

Ann Rutherford from Craven Arts told us: "We've got a textile artist, we've got a sculptor who works in bronze, we've got a watercolour artist and two more classic painters. We could take writers, all sorts of people from the creative industries. We're not just visual arts - we'd also like to extend to performance and we're really building up the music side of things."

Tap here to listen to Ann Rutherford talking to Rombalds Radio

Craven Arts moved in to the new building over the last few weeks and the venue has hosted its first art and craft classes since the start of the New Year.

Sessions include Creative Papermaking, Art For The Terrified, Independently Drawing The Human Form and the Feel Good Friday Art Club. 

Find out more at cravenarts.co.uk

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