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Vaults open up for art extravaganza
ARTVAULTS Season Four, Southampton's largest annual arts event, is launched this week.
More than 20,000 visitors are expected to visit the unique blend of heritage and art during its ten-week summer stint in the city.
The event, which opens on Saturday, will showcase a variety of contemporary art in the city's medieval vaults and structures.
From a record 90 entries, judges have selected an intriguing collection of emerging and established artists from Hampshire and across the UK to feature this summer.
Artists have made inventive use of unique spaces with sculptures, light and video installations.
For the first time, ArtVaults features the winners of the New Creators student art exhibition.
Students from Hounsdown School have created a dramatic reconstruction of a Spitfire crash in the corner of Castle Vault, while two Winchester School of Art students also feature in the Quilters vault.
Other highlights of the tour include Julian Rowe's interpretation of the poem Atlantis in the well-preserved Undercroft, Homemade Projections from Paul Vivian in God's House Tower and a neon tube installation in the Lankesters vault.
Daniel Crow, director of arts organisation A Space, which organises the project, said: "I'm so proud that ArtVaults has reached a fourth season, especially as it began with a conversation in a pub between myself and a rather inspiring council officer Kevin White.
"We shared a vision for transforming the old town and it has been such an achievement.
"I think this year's programme is our best ever and I look forward to showing all our visitors around."
Discovery Days guided tours every Sunday will bring the vaults history to life and provide an insight into the artwork.
The history and concept behind the project will also be explored at the Artvaults in Context exhibition at the Bargate Monument Gallery.
Dating as far back as the 12th century, the vaults
are usually closed to the public so ArtVaults is a unique opportunity to discover the city's hidden heritage.
The vaults are open from noon to 4pm every weekend from July 12 to September 21 and entry is free.
For an ArtVaults Map and guide, visit
artvaults.org.uk or collect one from the Bargate Monument Gallery.
To book a guided tour, call 023 8033 8778.
11:28am Wednesday 9th July 2008
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