THIS year's York Open Studios will have a Gallic flavour.

From Friday, April 4 until Sunday, April 13, York Open Studios will run its annual arts events. With studios, exhibitions and workshops all over the city York Open Studios has become a major arts and culture event and this year will be featuring over 70 artists, crafts people and designers launching with ‘Le Grand Depart’, a taster exhibition at the Blossom Street Gallery.

This year, the Open Studios is being organised as part of the Yorkshire Cultural Festival linked to the Tour de France Grand Depart and therefore the selected artists were also asked to produce work on the theme of Grand Depart for the taster exhibition.

A free event guide and map are available online at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk and studios are open Friday 6-9pm, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.