A DARLINGTON street is set to be turned into a vibrant hub of creativity as the town hosts its first Skinnergate Arts Market.

The event is the brainchild of Les and Kendra Fry, owners of Voodoo Café, who have sought to plug the gap left by the closure of the Arts Centre by hosting an array of cultural activities at their venue.

The couple are well-used to staging events from burlesque to salsa and their intention for the new Market is to transform Skinnergate into an outdoor hotbed of arts.

It has already created a buzz in the arts community and many North-East artists have already booked their stalls.

Originally from Newcastle, Mr Fry was a frequent visitor to the artist market at Jesmond Dene and he thought that Skinnergate could replicate that vibe, with its cobbled street, pavement cafés and independent shops providing the perfect setting.

Mr Fry said: “The vision is for Skinnergate to host a bustling market of art, we want to bring people into Skinnergate and for them to be amongst art, to meet the artist and to have a great afternoon immersed in culture right on their doorstep.”

The first Skinnergate Arts Market will take place on Sunday November, 20 from noon to 4pm.

It is then hoped that the event will be held bi-monthly, and if there is enough support organisers would like to run it even more frequently.

And if the weather has other plans, the event will move into the Voodoo Cafe to keep the artists’ wares dry.

If anyone is interested in booking a stall, they can get a form from Voodoo Café or contact via the Skinnergate Arts Market Facebook page.