YOUNG artists are being encouraged to get creative by a gallery which is hoping to showcase their work.

Home Images in Duke Street, Barrow has planned a new exhibition to open in September which will display locally created work in their newly-opened Ramsden Gallery.

Steve Cook, 56, who works at the gallery is hoping the initiative will attract many school pupils and students and encourage even reluctant artists to showcase their skills.

He said: "We are really doing it for local artists, to give them a place to exhibit their work.

"We are happy to show anyone with artistic talent and I think it's nice to have an exhibition space for people to finally show off their work.

"We need something like this in our town."

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The Park Drive resident has been involved with the artistic community for many years and describes it as his "passion."

Although the exhibition, which starts on Saturday, September 16 is now full, anyone wishing to get involved in future exhibitions can still do so.

Work is continually being curated by gallery staff through a closed Facebook group called Furness artists.

Painters, sketchers, sculptors and anyone else with creative flair who would like to see their work displayed, must take photos of their chosen pieces and submit them to the online group.

Mr Cook is hoping to have multiple exhibitions every year.

"We've got 26 artists ready for September - some of them are showing work for the first time, it's brilliant.

"It's mainly to encourage people to get involved, especially kids and young people.

"We want to have yearly events and promote art across the area to help people who have nowhere to go with their work.

"We've got quite a few young people involved and we want to work with schools and colleges and do competitions in the future.

"It's not costing them anything so why not do it," said Mr Cook.

Home Images has been open for 21 years but just opened the Ramsden Gallery in June.

The first Furness artists exhibition will run from September 16, until October 14.

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