Making Merry is back with even more solutions for your Christmas shopping

Making Merry returns to the district again this November but with a difference. Visitors will find some new delights in store this year - for the first time food producers will be selling their edible treats to compliment the locally made art and craft items on offer.

Making Merry Open Studios offers you an ideal seasonal opportunity to meet artists, craftspeople and local producers of food who live and work in Winchester and its picturesque market towns and villages. The open studios extravaganza runs from Friday 19 until Sunday 28 November, just in time for Christmas.

If you have a sweet tooth, take a trip to The Brooks Shopping Centre in the city on Saturday 20, Wednesday 24 and Saturday 27 November and meet our local producers. You will find a tasty display of sweet treats home-made by some of the district's award-winning local producers of ‘foodie’ delights. Or sample some of Cresson Creative’s seasonal delights in Ropley near the beautiful Georgian town of Alresford.

As well as the regular artists and craft-makers - including Linda Bee, well-know for her abstract oil paintings and handpainted white porcelain, and Easton-based Caroline Hall, whose abstracts have been exhibited all over the UK, there will also be many new names. Three renowned craftspeople invite visitors to their working studio for the first time - Eileen White, Claire Vine and Sarah Green bring their striking jewellery, prints and knitted accessories in a variety of colours and patterns. Making Merry is also delighted to welcome eight award-winning local artists who will be presenting a diverse mix of photographs, artwork and jewellery at Purbeck Cottage Studios in Durley. Badger Press, based in Bishop’s Waltham, also returns to the event offering visitors a chance to visit their fine art printmaking studio.

Once again, the Making Merry City Space Exhibition will provide visitors with another chance to beat the crowds and take the opportunity to purchase that special Christmas gift from a selection of paintings, photographs, jewellery, glassware and ceramics all at very reasonable prices.

The City Space exhibition runs from Saturday 13 November until Sunday 2nd January 2011 in the City Space gallery in Winchester Discovery Centre. It offers the opportunity to see the work of many of the artists who are participating in the Making Merry Open Studios after the event ends on the 28 November, so if you have visited one of the artists’ studios and couldn’t make up your mind what to buy from all the wonderful things available then don’t despair! Call in to City Space where you are bound to find exactly what you are looking for. Admission is free and City Space is open Monday to Friday 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Councillor Dominic Hiscock, Winchester City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Prosperity, said:

“Our economic strategy emphasises the importance of encouraging people to ‘buy local’, and Making Merry has proved itself to be a well-regarded cultural initiative for the district which does just that. Events such as these also contribute to community cohesion, by providing opportunities for residents to meet local artists and explore new places with friends and family.

We are delighted to be able to expand the event to promote a wider range of local ‘makers’, including producers of food and drink for the first time this year. This will broaden the interest of the event for potential customers - bringing more footfall and spend to all participating businesses.”

For more information and details of all the artists taking part in the event pick up a copy of the Making Merry brochure from Winchester Tourist Information Centre, call 01962 840 500 or email tourism@winchester.gov.uk (open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, closed between Christmas and New Year). Alternatively you can download a copy of the brochure from our Making Merry pages at www.visitwinchester.co.uk/site/whats-on/making-merry

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More information:
 Contact Rachel Gander, Tourism Marketing and Development Officer, (call 01962 848 556, email rgander@winchester.gov.uk)
 Visit the website: www.visitwinchester.co.uk/site/whats-on/making-merry