ART lovers visiting Barons Quay next month could pick up an original masterpiece at a knock-down price. 

Visual Arts Cheshire (VAC), a community interest group for promoting the arts in the Northwich area, have been running their pop-up gallery at the shopping centre since July last year.

Their shows have proven very popular, with their most recent exhibition, called '20x20', attracting 350 entries by local people, and pulling in up to 85 visitors each day. 

The group has now announced its programme for the first part of 2023, which includes a ‘Stash Sale’ of fabrics, threads and other related items, and an exhibition of work by local artists called An Under the Bed Sale.

Northwich Guardian: Art Under the Bed begins on February 2 and runs for a month (Visual Arts Cheshire)Art Under the Bed begins on February 2 and runs for a month (Visual Arts Cheshire) (Image: Visual Arts Cheshire)

Phil Carswell, a VAC committee member, said: "An Under the Bed Show is about artists who have stuff they have had for a while, and they just want to move it on. They’ll sell it a bargain rates, so people can really get a deal.

“We have a lot of artists locally, and some of them are short of places to exhibit their work. A lot of venues are either too expensive, or not in the local area, and we have been providing something for them.

“Local people have really responded well to what we’re doing.

“When they come into the gallery, they say how great it is to have something like this in Northwich, and how impressed they are with the quality of work we have on display.

“We want to get as many people in the community involved as possible.”

The Stash Sale will take place on Saturday, January 28, at the VAC pop-up gallery at Unit 40, Barons Quay.

The exhibition, An Under the Bed Sale, opens on Thursday, February 2, and runs until Saturday, March 4.  

Phil added: “We’re a community interest group, and our aim to promote the arts in the Northwich area.

“We curate and commission, we do workshops, and we have a range events in our gallery, such as hosting visiting artists and musicians."