THE first art exhibition of the season is set to officially get underway at the Bowlees Visitor Centre, in Teesdale, on Sunday (March 8).

The mezzanine art gallery in the former Methodist Chapel is hosting contemporary artist and sculptor, Trevor Craggs, who will be doing a meet and greet on Sunday between 1pm and 4pm.

Mr Craggs, a Newcastle Art School graduate, is coming back to the dale after a successful stint at the centre last year.

Nic Cullens, Visitor Services Officer at the centre, which is run by the North Pennines AONB Partnership, has been working to bring in artists from in and around the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

He said: “Trevor’s work was really popular last time he was here.

“Not just people coming to view his work in the gallery, but people who actively follow Trevor and collect his amazing pieces were visiting us from all over.

“We’re so pleased to have him back.

“When we reopened Bowlees in 2013 we were really keen to have gallery space to be able not only to display the work of local artists, but to give them a platform from where they could show and, very importantly, sell their work.

“Because we’re slightly off the beaten track we were unsure of how things would go but the fact that we’re already booked up until 2018 is fantastic.”

The exhibition will be available until the end of April and the gallery is open daily from 10am.

For more information email nicola@northpenninesaonb.org.uk