THE Select Festival, presented by SIT select, opens next month and promises to be a celebration of the visual arts in venues across the Stroud Valleys and beyond.

The creative programme opens on April 20 with ‘Future Giants' by Nicola Grellier at Malthouse Bar and Kitchen in Stroud following on with the full Festival launch from April 29.

Nicola has created large drawings using charcoal on canvas.

Throughout the Select Festival, leading international artists will rub shoulders with emerging new talent in a month of exhibitions, workshops, talks, a major one day symposium with keynote speakers plus a fabulous new Collectives Fair at Lansdown Hall in Stroud on the weekend of May 20 and 21.

This year’s Select Festival also features a programme of exhibitions, theatre and music at the newly renovated arts space in Tetbury, The Goods Shed.

The Select Festival programme includes an exciting program of workshops that include couture pattern cutting, print-making, sewing and knitting and needle felting.

Three world class jewellery designers exhibit in the Jewellery Showcase at the Museum in the Park in Stroud and New Brewery Arts in Cirencester.

Also new to the festival this year is a Sculpture Exhibition at Miserden Nursery with linked talks and walks.

The Select Trail where visitors can see hidden studios, meet the artists and enjoy unique work at its source happens over two weekends, May 6 and 7 and May 13 and 14 from Stroud to Tetbury.

With over 145 artists taking part in the Select Festival, it is a must for the diaries.

  • Visit sitselect.org for the full programme of all the events.