Go on an art safari in Lancaster this spring

This painting, After The Rain by Colin Pickering, will be raffled during Lancaster Arts Society's exhibition.

A new Lancaster Arts Safari is being launched to coincide with Lancaster and District Art Society’s annual exhibition which opens at the City Museum on April 6.

The free guide to the many and various galleries, shops and arts venues around the city is the latest project by the Friends of Lancaster City Museum supported by Lancaster BID and will be available at participating locations.

The guide will be officially launched at the Art Society exhibition which will boast 80 works on display and runs until the end of June.

Peter Lovett-Horn, chairman of the Art Society, said: “I have already had a sneaky preview of some of our paintings and I can promise that visitors to the exhibition are in for a very pleasant surprise.”

The society’s secretary Colin Pickering, one of the district’s most successful artists, has donated a painting which will be on display throughout the exhibition and raffled to raise cash for the society’s funds.

A busy weekend of events takes place to celebrate the launch of Lancaster Art Safari.

At the City Museum itself, there will be tours of the exhibition, artist demonstrations and children’s colouring activities.

The Herbarium will be a hive of arty activity all weekend, beginning on the Saturday with Nu Jazzies children’s daytime rave with interactive art installations and face painting from 2-4pm.

NuJazz Arts will be linking up with Temple Yoga to bring a festival vibe to the studio. Nu Jazzies will combine music, art, movement and craft in a unique and vibrant environment. It’s open to families with children aged 10 and under – this is a ticket only event with wristbands available from The Herbarium (£4 per child).

From 5.30-7pm, there’s a film screening and talk about art and mental health featuring Harry Mills, who will also give a guided tour of his artwork and the day’s entertaintment will be completed by the Herb’s resident DJs Nu Jazz Collective. All day on Sunday, artist in residence Tom Boyle hosts an open studio and Helen Morris will be running lino printing workshops as well as exhibiting her own work.

The Judges Lodgings will run an Easter Egg Hunt Drop In event and King Street Studios will launch a drawing competition.

A Knit and Stitch Show will take place at The Storey on the Saturday and Arteria will welcome visitors to its latest Ebb and Flow exhibition.