Villagers prepare for landmark art show with music concert

Upper Broughton Art Show, which has run since 1983, takes place again in the village hall.

The first show featured just 39 pictures, which were hung around the walls of the hall on wire coat hangers.

In the subsequent four decades, it has gone from strength to strength, and now displays up to 350 pieces for sale every year.

The show allows the organising committee to raise the funds needed to maintain and run the village hall.

Art Show chair, Jo Merchant, said: “This is the culmination of several months of hard work by the committee.

"We are all very proud to see such a variety of work on display from extremely talented, mainly local artists, most of whom have supported the show for many years.”

One challenge for organisers is they never know in advance how many artists will turn up or what they will bring.

Another is ensuring a plentiful supply of homemade cake for the weekend’s refreshments – almost as popular with the show’s visitors and contributors as the art itself.

As local sculptor John Nicholls put it: “From the artist’s viewpoint, it’s the best-run show I have exhibited in, with a wide range of excellent art and, importantly, a wide range of excellent cakes.”

For the first time this year, the Art Show will be pairing up with an open-air music event, hosted by Upper Broughton resident, orthopaedic surgeon, Tony Westbrook.

The event, which debuted last year, was run by Tony for friends and colleagues, to celebrate the launch of his book, Your Mental Health.

The idea for the event came to Tony when he realised two patients on his operating list were members of a local Military Wives Choir.

Blessed with warm weather, around 500 guests attended to enjoy a unique evening of music provided by Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir and the Military Wives Choir, brainchild of Gareth Malone.

Tony suggested this year’s collaboration because, he said: “I was aware of the 40th anniversary of the Art Show and of the lots of people who put in hours and hours keeping village halls and churches open.”

He added: “If you’ve got one big event a year that the village focus on, like an art show and a music festival, you can combine all your fundraising rather than relying on, say, 100 coffee mornings.”

The celebrations kick off with an Art Show preview, from 6pm to 8pm on Friday, where visitors will enjoy a drink and celebration cake whilst viewing the art and meeting some of the artists.

There will also be the opportunity to buy any of the work before the show opens to the public.

A double ticket costing £7.50 will allow access to the preview in the village hall, followed by the music event, at Willow Farm.

Tony will donate the choirs’ fees, meaning all profits from ticket sales will go to Upper Broughton Village Hall.

Admission to the Art Show over the weekend is free, with doors open on Saturday 10am-5pm and on Sunday 10am-4pm.

A selection of homemade cakes, tea and coffee will also be on sale.