The work of 45 artists will go on view at a series of studio and exhibition venues in the Thornbury area as part of the Severn Vale Art Trail.

The trail represents the visual side of Thornbury Arts Festival, which has been cancelled for the second successive year. Under normal circumstances it would run for ten days but this year has been reduced to five days, taking place from Friday, May 28, to Tuesday, June 1.

It will be one of the first community events to be run as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are gradually eased, giving people the chance to see a wide variety of artistic skills from jewellery making, photography and painting to sculpture and basketwork.

Artwork by Ricky Woodman-Povey

Artwork by Ricky Woodman-Povey

All the artwork submitted had been created in the Severn Vale and will be on display at 16 venues across the area.

Locations include Thornbury, Berkeley and Charfield, where a new venue is St James’ Church at Churchend - a place where wool workers used to worship and which is now under the protection of the Churches Conservation Trust.

Entry to all venues is free and there will be work for sale.

A new website has been developed - severnvalearttrail.org - which features an interactive map showing where the artworks are on display and gives information on trail artists and venues.

It also highlights a new feature of the art trail called the Family Art Adventure. Family and household members of all ages in Thornbury, but especially children and young people, were asked to create their own works of art during the Easter holiday and they are now on display in their home windows until May 31.

The theme for the first adventure is What Makes You Happy and is aimed at celebrating the lifting of lockdown restrictions and life starting to return to normal. A map gives the locations, which can only be viewed from the pavement.

The trail team said the Covid situation would be kept closely under review and all the venues would adopt the recommended guidelines.