A HALESWORTH arts venue is launching a month-long exhibition of artwork created by youngsters from the area who have taken inspiration from their environment.

A HALESWORTH arts venue is launching a month-long exhibition of artwork created by youngsters from the area who have taken inspiration from their environment.

The Culture of the Countryside exhibition at the Cut will showcase works of art by pupils from five Suffolk middle schools, members of the local community and artists.

The imaginative display at the Cut includes paintings from the countryside from pupils in Beccles, poetic responses from Bungay youngsters, inventive prints from Halesworth, designs for an outdoor pergola from Saxmundham and experimental weather-art projects from Gisleham.

Veronica Sekules, director for the project, said: “We are delighted to be opening the exhibition at the Cut, which shows the exceptional standard and variety of work produced by adults and children in the local area. The Culture of the Countryside project has been working with people to reinterpret local heritage, using our world art handling collection as a starting point. The results are amazing - come and see for yourself.”

The exhibition, which opened on Saturday, and runs until November 28, is part of the Sainsbury Centre's three-year outreach project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The centre has been working with schools and communities across Norfolk and Suffolk, to explore environmental and heritage issues and help to build community relationships.

The month-long exhibition is accompanied by a programme of events that also includes science-art workshops for families, an evening of films from the East Anglia Film Archive and a performance by Halesworth Community Choir.

Visit www.newcut.org for information.