Art at the Alter 2009

Artist and Craftsmen in the East Pennine area are eagerly preparing to deliver Art at the Altar 2009, the 5th annual exhibition and sale of work. The first Art at the Altar was launched in 2005 when Father David Hopkin of St Johns Church, Penistone invited a group of local artists to get together and celebrate their creativity. It was hugely successful event and ‘Hens Teeth,’ the creative networking group that formed as a result has continued to gather ever since.

Contributors to the exhibition often take away their own very differing experience from the event. For Hens Teeth it can be the culmination of a year’s work and a much anticipated opportunity to reveal it in the stunning surroundings of a historic and well loved building at the heart of the community.

Because the exhibition is open to all members of the community the event has given a platform to some extraordinarily talented people some of whom have never exposed their work to the public before. This experience alone has on occasion given some makers the confidence to go on and launch their own successful creative businesses. That’s what makes Art at the Altar so exciting. It is different every year. One never knows what fabulous artwork will come through the door and what exciting opportunities will open up.

As well as being an annual showcasing of the wealth and diversity of talent in the area 20% of the Proceeds from AATA a donated to a nominated charity every year. To date the event has raised over £8,000 for good causes including Bluebell Wood Children’s
Hospice, The Victorian Glasshouse at Wentworth Castle, The Gatcharu Village water project, Kenya and St Johns Roof restoration fund. This year the event will be supporting, The Royal Marines Benevolent Fund.

Visitor numbers to this event continue to increase and St Johns church has come to look forward the transformation of their building for a week. It is an opportunity for members of the public to come into church that would not normally come through the doors.

But uppermost it is the collective experience of a community coming together to celebrate their creativity at the beginning of the festive season that makes Art at the Altar eagerly anticipated occasion for everyone to look forward to in the annual calendar of events in Penistone and District.

For more information visit www.hensteeth.org.uk