Artists and craftspeople across Craven will be throwing open their studios over the next two weekends.

Gargrave-based Art Connections has organised this year’s North Yorkshire Open Studios event and has signed up 21 artists from Craven.

Across the county, 120 studios will be open.

“Open Studios offers a unique opportunity for the public to meet individual artists in a diverse range of studios and settings to gain an insight into how their work is produced, what inspires them and to buy high-quality art and crafts directly from them,” said Christine Keogh, from Art Connections.

But the event offers more than open studios.

There will be public art installations, such as a sculptural bus shelter in Malham created by Steven Gumbley, and a variety of workshops and talks at Art Connection’s base on Eshton Road.

Kate Maddison and Van Nong will lead two workshops on designing and creating a wind vane from sustainable materials, and artist Louise Ann Wilson will talk about a theatre production she is creating in the Ingleborough area for 2011.

The event will also be used to unveil a new artwork project, called Meander, spearheaded by Shanaz Gulzar and Steve Manthrop.

They want volunteers to film the entire route of a marathon walk through the Dales using state-of-the-art headband-mounted HD video cameras. What the cameras record will be determined by where the wearer is looking and what engages their interest.

Open Studios takes place over three days this weekend – June 11, 12 and 13 – and two days next weekend – June 19 and 20.

Local artists taking part are: Cross Hills – Anna Lambert and David Thomas; Cononley – Barbara Greene, Gilly Craven, Helen Slinger and Janet Browne; Skipton – Mark Butler and Karen Griffiths; Thornton-in-Craven – Fiona Bowley and Jackie Hunt; Gargrave – Mawdsley Williams; Malham – Katharine Holmes, David Cook, Heather Cook and Annabelle Bradley; Giggleswick – Frank Gordon; Chapel-le-Dale – Philippa Troutman; Grassington – David Ashby, Carine Brosse and Helen Wheatley; Kettlewell – Susan Beazley.

For full details, log onto nyos.org.uk or ring Art Connections on 01756 748529.