A NEW arts festival aimed at bringing world-class photography to the North returns next month.

The Photo North Festival, run by a small team of photography and curatorial professionals, runs at the the Harrogate Convention Centre from November 30 to December 2.

Building on the success of the inaugural festival in Harrogate last year, the unique event is aimed at the professional photographer, art-enthusiast, keen amateur and students.

It brings together exhibitions, talks, workshops and portfolio reviews from highly respected and emerging artists.

The Northern Echo:

Peter Dench, co-founder and curator, said: “The driving force behind Photo North was our desire to keep exhibitions on the road, outside of the South and get world-class work out to a northern audience.

"We also want to showcase the work of up-and-coming photographers to give them a leg-up.

"We don’t want the festival to be sniffy or static, we want it to be inclusive.

"We want people to walk through the door and feel welcome.”

The event takes up a full exhibition hall and includes a theatre area, trade stalls and the exhibitions.