ORGANISERS of Ellesmere College’s online art exhibition say it is proving to be a huge success, despite usually being held in a hall that can hold 1,000 people.

The Ellesmere National Art Exhibition, held at Ellesmere College, is celebrating its ninth year but is unable to go ahead in its usual format because of Covid-19.

Instead, the team at the College have created a platform where visitors can view and buy the usual high standard of artwork from the comfort of their own homes, giving artists the opportunity to showcase their work to a broader audience.

Olivia Beckett, external relations officer at Ellesmere College, is coordinating the event and admitted it has sparked huge interest.

She said: “We are excited to be hosting an online art exhibition this year and since we launched on June 1 we have seen a high volume of visitors to the website.

“We have plenty in store for everyone, with a curated collection of more than 30 British and international artists showcasing 260 pieces of art, including sculpture, paintings, drawings, linocut prints and mixed media artwork.

"Each artist has their own page displaying the pieces they have for sale.

“It has been great to have the support of some of our regular artists who have returned online, these include Maximillion Baccanello, Barbara Goolden, Graham Cox RCA, Mark Warner and Lesley Fisher.

"We also have some new artists exhibiting this year.

“Despite it not being the grand physical event that we usually host at the College, we are pleased with the adjusted format and look forward to running the website alongside the exhibition next year.”

The purpose of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the Arts in the local area.

All proceeds from the exhibition’s sales go towards funding Art Scholarships for local talented students to study Art through Sixth Form at the College, offering the opportunity of an Ellesmere education to local children who may not be able to access it without some assistance.

To visit the exhibition visit https://www.ellesmere.com/art-exhibition/