Art tour is vital to development of county’s rural economy

Dec 11 2008 by Chris Knox, The Journal

This year’s Christmas Art Tour is helping some of the region’s creative entrepreneurs safeguard their businesses during tough trading conditions. Christopher Knox spoke to some of the artists involved about what they are doing to protect their businesses from the downturn.

NORTHUMBERLAND’S Christmas Art Tour provides the opportunity for more culturally minded consumers to do their Christmas shopping away from the hustle and bustle of the high street as well as discover the artistic talents that the county has to offer.

The tour, staged by arts support group Network at a number of rural locations, is also a great chance for the artists themselves to showcase their work and, more importantly, help them make a living from their creations.

Network, funded by the Arts Council as well as its 180 members, has been holding summer and winter tours in the area for the last 13 years, which have helped to support the artists involved as well as the rural economy as a whole by bringing visitors to the area.

This year’s tour, which comes to the end of its one-month tour this weekend, has attracted more than 13,000 visitors to almost 48 events and workshops, with shoppers treated to free mulled wine and mince pies to get them in the festive spirit.

To Mary Ann Rogers, a wildlife painter and one of the directors of Network, the events have become essential to the development of Northumberland’s rural economy.

She said: “It is through these type of events that we are able to help artists make a real go of their businesses. We always try to make them more aware of what they can do to market their work and the events and workshops which could help spread the word.

“This year’s tour looks to be one of the best yet. Despite continuous bad news about the economy, we’re finding that people still have money to spend a day out in the countryside and shop for unique Christmas gifts for their loved ones.”

Mary, who lives in West Woodburn, near Otterburn, in Northumberland, has become one of the North East’s most celebrated artists, having been voted the top self-published female artist in print by the Fine Art Trade Guild last year.

However, although her watercolours of hares, hounds and foxes have become popular amongst the North East’s wildlife enthusiasts, she has taken measures to ensure her future success, and has used the tour to launch a series of cards, mugs, aprons and tea towels in time in time for Christmas.

She has invested £10,000 over the last year in the new products, as well as a new website and marketing programme.

She said: “Although I must say that it is not all doom and gloomy in terms of my regular orders, it has become more necessary to diversify the ways in which my art is sold.

“With the new products going down a storm, I have been encouraging our members to go down this route if they want to grow their audience. You can either batten down the hatches and expect things to get worse or you can meet the challenge head on.”

One member of Network that has also taken a proactive approach is landscape painter Mick Oxley, who has recently moved into his own studio in Craster on the coast north of Alnwick, from his previous site in his local village hall.

The artist, who specialises in seascapes, became a full time artist five years ago when illness meant he had to use a wheelchair and leave his job as a PE teacher.

He has also tapped into the potential of selling his prints on a smaller scale and has extended his greeting cards range in time for Christmas.

He said: “Earlier this year I had thought about withdrawing my card line and concentrating on my larger prints and paintings.

“However, I soon realised that, with the way things are going in the economy, more people would be looking for smaller art work to take home with them.

“This has certainly been the case at the Christmas Art Tour, where the cards have proven popular among the visitors.”

Mick, along with other artists involved in the event, are now gearing up for its final, and historically most popular weekend, with sales expected to exceed the £120,000 made by artists in the summer.

Mary said: “It has been another fantastic year, with lots of people coming to Northumberland to see what our talented artists have to offer. It can be a difficult occupation being an artist, but events like this go a long way to support our creative entrepreneurs as well as the area’s tourism industry.”