IT IS the biggest art show in the region and this year’s Holmfirth Artweek is already under way, with previews at fringe exhibitions at Honley last night.

But there’s much more to come, with more fringe shows previewing tonight and the main exhibition at Holmfirth Civic Hall opening on Sunday and running all next week.

At last year's event, more than £100,000 worth of work was sold and a profit of £38,000 made for Macmillan Cancer Support .

Art week features paintings and photographs, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery and other crafts will be on show, and there will be plenty of demonstrations. Work by 425 artists, professional and amateur, will be on view.

This year's featured artist is sculptor Brendan Hesmondhalgh, of Holmfirth, whose animal sculptures have been a popular feature at previous shows.

Also on show will be a selection of work by the renowned portraitist and landscape painter Trevor Stubley, who died earlier this year.

Trevor was a great supporter of Artweek, having directed the Civic Hall exhibition for 12 years, before Mick Kirkby-Geddes took over.

Opening times for the Civic Hall show are Sunday and Saturday 10am to 5pm and Monday to Friday 10am to 9pm. Admission is £2 (£1 concessions) and programmes are £2.

Added to the main show are at least 30 fringe events in shops, cafes, offices and galleries around the Holme Valley.

Just across the road from the Civic is Holmfirth Methodist Church which is hosting a show featuring 40 artists and over 400 works.

The artists include Stephen Court and Peter Mountain (landscapes), Jenny Parkin (imaging) James Oughtibridge Pottery), Jamie Frost (sculpture) and John Birdsall who makes bowls turned from ancient reclaimed timbers.

Julian Pratt, who has organised the work at this particular fringe venue, said: “This will be our third year at this excellent venue and it should be the best yet.

“We have more artists than ever before and will have quite a challenge fitting them all in.”