Last weekend saw hundreds of people visit studios and galleries up and down the island, during the 2017 Isle of Man Arts festival.

Artists and exhibitors opened up their workshops and put on displays of crafts and techniques in locations as far afield as the Grenaby Studios, Tynwald Mills, the Crow’s nest at the Sea Terminal and a particularly secluded, hidden gem of an area at the Glen Mooar Retreat.

Over 40 of the island’s top artists displayed their crafts, techniques and working practices to festival goers.

Prolific illustrator and painter Nicola Dixon spent the weekend at Grenaby, where she displayed a lot of her new work and projects, which include a range of stamps, alongside Graham hall, whose demonstrations of wood-turning wooden creations always proves popular.

Painter James Duggan, who currently has an exhibition at the Isle Gallery at Tynwald, demonstrated his own techniques for painting his large, life-like portraits.

Other locations were at the Castletown Civic Centre, House of Manannan, Peel, Ramsey Town hall and various places in Douglas.

Festival organiser Myra Gilbert believes that growing the event, and introducing new venues each year, has helped attract new people and has helped it build on last year’s successes.

’My impression has been that the festival has been a great success,’ said Myra.

’Visitors have appreciated the spread of venues across the island, artists are happy with footfall and hospitality has been excellent.

’Generally there has been plenty of interaction such as demos and tasters between artists and festival visitors.’

’Our hubs have worked well, enabling groups of artists to share space and make the experience easier for our travelling audience. We’d like to thank everyone who has helped make the festival such fun.’