Friday 13th June - Monday 8th September 2008

Venue: The Station, Richmond

2008 sees the launch of an exciting new art exhibition in North Yorkshire - the A1 Open Summer Art Exhibition.

Aimed at encouraging and celebrating the diversity of artistic talent in the region, the exhibition presents a unique opportunity for amateurs and professionals across Yorkshire and North East England to showcase their work in the delightful surroundings of the recently re-developed Grade II* listed railway station in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

With £7,000 worth of prize money on offer, the event is expected to attract great interest from artists across the region. A prestigious panel of judges will make a final selection of work to be included in the exhibition and also choose the winning entries. The exhibition is also aimed at encouraging an appreciation of art more widely amongst the general public, as visitors will have an opportunity to see and buy from a wide range of selected original pieces, as well as to vote for the "People's Choice".

Artists are invited to submit paintings in a variety of media for the exhibition. There is no particular theme, and entries can be experimental, adventurous, traditional or contemporary. Young artists are welcomed.

One of the strongest unifying features of North-Eastern England is the Great North Road, more commonly known as the A1. Originally built as a Roman road, this arterial highway links London to Edinburgh and has the distinction of being the longest 'numbered road' in the UK at 409 miles.

Richmond is located just four miles off the A1, to the Southwest of the famous Scotch Corner roundabout. It is equidistant from the southernmost tip of Yorkshire and Northumberlandâ??s border with Scotland and is a perfect location for staging a major art exhibition.

Entries to the show will be taken until 13th June. The exhibition itself will be staged at The Station from 14th July to 31st August.

Judging of the work will take place the last week in June with the selected pictures being hung the week prior to the launch.

Full details are available from the The A1 Open Summer Art Exhibition Web Site.