Open up your homes!

From the archive, first published Wednesday 28th Mar 2007.

The brains behind Saltaire Festival are on the hunt for residents to throw open their homes as art galleries.

The Saltaire Festival Arts Group wants to expand the arts programme at this year's Saltaire Festival to include ten residents' houses as galleries to exhibit and sell fine art and craft.

Inspired by the successful Open Houses that feature in the Brighton Festival, organisers want to create environments where the cushions on the sofa, the paintings on the wall and the vases on the mantelpiece are all for sale.

David Worsley, of Saltaire Festival Arts Group, said: "This has been going on in Brighton for about a decade and has become extremely popular. It's much anticipated and people drive from a wide area to visit it.

"We thought Saltaire would be a prime place to do the same thing because it has its own identity. Hopefully we can build up a similar reputation."

People's homes would need to be available on the weekends of September 8/9 and 15/16 and times can be flexible to suit the owners.

Insurance, both personal liability and the cover of the artwork, will be paid for, and all artwork provided.

And people can keep a percentage of the sales that take place in their homes.

To participate call David Worsley on 07802 445786 or email: sfag@saltairefestival.co.uk.