Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s inaugural ‘Art in your Pocket’ exhibition was officially opened in the Gallery at Strule Arts Centre at the start of December by the Chair of the Council, Councillor Errol Thompson.

This is the first year of ‘Art in your Pocket’, organised by the Council’s Arts Service, attracting more than 260 individual works from 62 artists, each measuring 6” x 4” in a range of media, including painting, drawing, print, collage, digital photography and mixed media.

Addressing the guests at the launch of the exhibition, Councillor Thompson said: “The open call for artists to exhibit met with an excellence response, and the quality of the work on display is stunning.

"I am delighted that the Gallery at Strule Arts Centre is hosting the inaugural exhibition of such an eclectic selection of works from new and established artists, both local and from further afield, in a format that is both affordable and easy to create.

"At times such as this, when the arts fraternity in general has been through such a challenging time, and when opportunities for artists to showcase and sell their work are extremely limited, exhibitions such as Art in your Pocket are extremely important not only as a vehicle through which work can be displayed and sold, but also to create a platform through which the arts community can participate and show together in a high-profile, purpose-built venue such as this.”

The exhibition prizewinners were announced at the launch. First prize of a two-week Artist's Residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig, Co. Monaghan, was won by Gary Shaw, who is originally from Lisbellaw.

Second prize, a solo exhibition in Strule Arts Centre, was awarded to Patricia Kelly, from Fermanagh, while Cilla Patton from Cavan took home third prize – a £150 voucher towards art materials.

The adjudicators for the competition were Noelle McAlinden and Geraldine O’Reilly.

The Art in your Pocket exhibition was shown throughout December at the Strule Arts Centre, and will move to the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen in early February.

For further details about this or future exhibitions at Strule Arts Centre, see the Council's social media pages, or email culture@fermanaghomagh.com.