Putting Yorkshire art firmly on the map

Tourist board Welcome to Yorkshire have worked with the prize to produce the first Yorkshire contemporary art map showcasing some of the highlights the region has to offer.

And of course, Wakefield itself ranks highly, with the latest exhibition at The Art House, Sue Platt’s A Universe in Miniature and Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s latest collections both featuring.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We have a rich and varied art heritage across our great county and this map will help showcase what we have on offer thanks to this innovative partnership.

“I hope more people will visit these exhibitions and see how Yorkshire is at the forefront of cultural attractions on a national and European scale. With The Hepworth Wakefield set to open next spring, this is an exciting time for art in the county.”

The map is also a celebration of the Northern Art Prize. The exhibition of the four shortlisted artists, opened at Leeds Art Gallery last month.

The winner - either Alec Finlay of Newcastle, Lubaina Himid of Preston, David Jacques of Liverpool and Haroon Mirza of Sheffield - will be announced in January.

The trail include the Headrow gallery, as well as exhibitions including some of Yorkshire best loved artists including David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Henry Moore and our very own Barbara Hepworth.

Northern Art Prize director Pippa Hale has drawn together a selection of not-to-be-missed exhibitions for the contemporary art scene.

Most of the exhibitions mentioned on the map are free, and the trail goes as far afield as Sheffield, Hull and Scarborough.

The highlights include international photography at the National media Museum in Bradford, and Wakefield artists Richard William Wheater, who was long-listed for the Northern Art Prize last year, and Tom Woolner at The Site Gallery in Sheffield.

To check out the map visit at www.yorkshire.com/ contemporaryart.