VISITORS to an exhibition in Ripon Cathedral are being invited to become art critics for a day - and organisers are hoping the city's schoolchildren will also become involved.

Checklists will be available to help the observers' task and it is hoped they will help pupils define art and to discover why they like one picture rather than another.

Running alongside Ripon International Festival, Ripon Art Festival, featuring 27 professional and semi-professional artists with Yorkshire connections, runs from September 7 to 21.

The event is supported by York and North Yorkshire Community Foundation and Ripon Community Fund and admission is free. However, any donations will go to the Ripon Cathedral Development Campaign, which aims to raise £3m for essential works to the building.