WORKS by artists who regularly exhibit at some of the country’s most renowned galleries are heading for Ryedale this summer.

The exhibition brings award-winning artists such as Ralph Steadman, Barbara Rae, Norman Ackroyd, Henry Moore and Francesca Simon to Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton-le-Hole.

For the artists, the summer exhibitions also provide an opportunity to engage with a very different type of audience than they might encounter in London or Edinburgh.

Until Sunday July 19, renowned Edinburgh-based Gallery TEN will be showcasing 40 works by pioneers, award-winners and fresh new talent in a special guest curation celebrating paintings, print-making and glass.

Artists include: • Ralph Steadman CBE, RA, famed for his prolific Punch, Private Eye and Gonzo cartoons, and beloved illustrations for children’s and classic books.

• Multi-award winning Scottish landscape painter Barbara Rae CBE, RA.

• Alfons Bytautus, in demand across Europe for his pioneering printmaking techniques.

• John Piper, famed English stained-glass designer and official war artist in the Second World War.

• Gallery TEN founder Paul Musgrove, returning after his own successful solo exhibition at the Ryedale Folk Museum last year, with works inspired by his archaeological experiences on the North York Moors.

• Yorkshire artists Norman Ackroyd and Henry Moore.

• Other artists include Kate Downie, John Houston, Georgina Bown, Alistair Grant, Bernard Cheese, Marie Scott, Cyril Wilson, Ann Redpath, Laura Birdsall, Jessica Crisp, P Layton, Catherine A Hiley, Alan Horsley and the artistic partnership Lindean Mill.

Between July 25 and September 13, visitors will be able to enjoy the culmination of a unique collaboration with Francesca Simon, in her first solo exhibition outside of London.

Her exhibition of new work for the museum, “Navigations” is a tribute to a relationship with the area that has now lasted for 30 years.

“The work I have made for this show is an allegory on the subject of navigation, through life and creativity as through the landscape and its gradual changes,” Francesca said.

“The horizon and its familiar and famous landmarks, including dry stone walls and Bronze age burial mounds; the shadows cast in relation to the time of day; the travellers on the ancient drovers’ roads – all provide tools for navigation.”

Jennifer Smith, Ryedale Folk Museum’s director, said: “The breath-taking landscape of the North York Moors, which has itself been sculpted by people over millennia, has captivated artists, craftspeople – and tourists – for centuries.

“It’s a profoundly inspiring place, ideal for exploring creatively – I think that’s why it continues to attract artists today.

“Our enduring relationship with this very special place is well captured within the museum’s displays, but it’s important that the connection is living, breathing and ever-evolving.”

She added: “This is what the summer art gallery season aims to achieve: to inspire conversations about the area’s sense of place – both through history and in relation to its place in the world today, to push some boundaries, to engage with different audiences, and to support the artist community.”

“With so many high-calibre artists on display, the summer promises to be a masterclass of styles and media for visitors, perhaps inspiring others to reach for the easel, especially as some of the works featured have been directly influenced by the North York Moors.

Jennifer said: “The work of many of these artists is scattered across international galleries, so this is also a superb opportunity to see the best of UK contemporary art in one place.”

For more information go to the website www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk or phone 01751 417367