LAST-MINUTE arrangements are being made for an arts festival which starts on Thursday (April 24) and runs throughout May.

The second annual Darlington Arts Festival has more than 50 events on its programme.

It is being co-ordinated by Darlington for Culture (DfC), the group which speaks for the area’s arts scene and battle in vain to save Darlington Arts Centre from closure in 2012.

The Northern Echo’s Darlington events guide – whatsonindarlington.co.uk – will publish details about the forthcoming events being held under the arts festival umbrella.

The programme of events includes:

A series of music events, including the Darlington Jazz Festival at various venues between April 24 and 27, which launches the arts festival;

DfC will be working in partnership with Darlington Borough Council to stage an Arts Showcase in the Market Place on Sunday, May 11, from 11am to 4pm;

After the success of the first Jabberwocky Market last October, Battersea Arts Centre returns to Darlington during the festival with a raft of shows, between May 15 and 18;

Literary events at Café Create and other venues, featuring readings and writing workshops;

Art-based events including exhibitions and workshops at various venues, including a nationally-important art lending project. Art Lending Library will run at Crown Street Art Gallery and invite the people of Darlington to borrow works of art and enjoy them within their homes, work places and community centres;

A black and white film Festival to be run by Darlington Film Club at the Forum, in Borough Road, and at Voodoo Café, in Skinnergate.

Kirsty Dunn, one of the organisers of the jazz festival, said: “Darlington Jazz Festival 2014 is excited to be at the start of what promises to be a fantastic, diverse arts festival for Darlington and our region.

“This is the third year the jazz festival has run and we are excited to raise the bar once again by providing a platform for both local and regional talent, yet again attracting incredibly talented national artists prominent on today’s jazz scene such as Mark Nightingale and The Al Wood Nine.”

For more details, including the full festival programme, visit darlingtonforculture.org