Putting art into the heart of The Witham

THE Witham has launched a major exhibition in a bid to put visual art on the same level as the centre’s successful theatre, music, comedy and family shows.
About 30 northern artists have been given the chance to put 100 examples of their work on display at The Witham’s Christmas Art Fair.
Sarah Mayhew Craddock has been employed to take the venue to the next stage of its development by promoting visual arts.
Artists chosen range from local talent such as Keith Alexander, from Scargill, and Ann Whitfield, from Barnard Castle, to Steve Messam, whose work has won him worldwide acclaim.
It is the first exhibition curated by Ms Mayhew Craddock, who has set up a programme of shows for 2017 – a year The Witham hopes will start a new chapter  for visual arts in the town.
Ms Mayhew Craddock, an artist, critic and arts consultant, said: “I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who wanted to exhibit. I was blown away by the quality of work across the region – whittling them down has been so difficult.
“The whole purpose has been to raise the profile of visual arts so it’s on the same level as theatre and other things at The Witham.
“This exhibition is the first rung of the ladder to achieving that ambition.”
The idea came about following a conversation between The Witham’s manager, Katy Taylor, and Ms Whitfield, who said there were few opportunities for local and regional artists to exhibit together. Much of the work on display in the main gallery and around the cafe is landscape-based – something Ms Mayhew Craddock says demonstrates how much the northern hills inspire North East artists.
“We only really realised how much landscape dominated the exhibition when it came to the hanging. It gives a real sense of this area,” said Ms Mayhew Craddock. “The majority of these artists have never exhibited at The Witham. A few hadn’t heard of it, so in terms of putting us on the map, it’s really exciting.”
The Witham hopes that in 2017 as many people visit The Witham to see artwork as they do to see the comedy and music nights.
The Witham’s Christmas Art Fair, which also offers a chance for people to buy, is on until Tuesday, December 20. Admission is free.
The next major show will be an exhibition of contemporary photography portraits of craftspeople in the North East. It will be launched on Thursday, January 5.