"The Next Generation Exhibition offered over 100 blank canvases to young people between the ages of 7 -18 with the opportunity of having their work shown in a month long exhibition at the gallery.

The Workhouse Gallery Young Curators Group' was set up as part of the project and three young people from the local area took up the opportunity to curate the hanging of the art works.

The exhibition previewed on Thursday 12 February 2009 and has been a tremendous success, encouraging young people and their families in to the gallery space.

Mike Morgan, fine art teacher at Llanfyllin High School has been bringing his pupils down to the exhibition on regular class trips enabling a greater number of young people to enjoy the work on show and hopefully generate future participation in gallery activities.

The gallery staff hope to continue working with the young curators group giving them an insight and the chance to be involved with different exhibitions and aspects of running the gallery throughout the year.

The art works created are fantastic and we hope to make this an annual event, involving as many young people as possible.

The interest in the exhibition has prompted the gallery to extend The Next Generation Art Exhibition run until Saturday 28 March.

The Workhouse Gallery is open to the public from Thursdays - Saturdays 10am - 4pm.

The Workhouse Gallery was made possible through a grant from the Bodfach Trust and The Next Generation Art Exhibition was supported by The Powys County Council Community Support Enablement Fund.

Article written by Ruth Carter