A VILLAGE is organising its own arts event after it was announced the annual North Yorkshire Open Studios will not take place this year.

Lockton, home to at least a dozen professional artists, is planning its own open studios, following the announcement that the arts initiative, which has been running for 12 years, will not happening in 2018.

In a statement on its website, parent company Chrysalis Arts said “the decision was not taken lightly and is mainly due to the increased risk to the company following cuts in local authority funding”.

The open studios event would have seen hundreds of artists open their doors to the public across the county. In many cases it is a vital outlet for professional artists’ work.

The community of artists in Lockton have come together to form Lockton Artists.

Painter Sue Slack, chairman of the group, said: “Losing North Yorkshire Open Studios was a big blow.

“But Lockton is made of sterner stuff and believes in the value of the visual arts both for recreation and to boost the economy.”

Two years ago, they held their own village-wide open studios, Lockton Artists Open Studios (LAOS), which brought visitors and income to the village, its holiday accommodation, and its tea room.

The response was so good that they continued fundraising and now have allocated thousands of pounds to expand the event this year.

The village hall is being converted to a professional-standard art gallery, and from Saturday May 26 to Sunday June 3, the artists are throwing open doors to their own private studios and work-spaces to let the public see what they do.

The artists have found private funding, made films, are setting up a website and social media networks and are working together to bring people to what they call “the artists’ village”.

Sue added: “We’d love the public to come and support us. We’ll give them a warm welcome.”

The group added that it is receiving advice and support from Ryedale District Council, and that the village is also home to a thriving art group which runs workshops and training sessions in artistic blacksmithing.