Introducing...York Open Studios 2005, the weekend when artists open their doors to all.

A record 42 artists and craftsmen are participating in this weekend's fourth annual York Open Studios, a showcase for painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, furniture and glass in York and its surrounding villages. Charles Hutchinson meets co-founder and committee member Anne Hutchison for a guided tour.

What has prompted the rise in numbers?

"The first year, 26 took part, then 31, down to 22 last year and now 42. We've loosened up a little bit in our approach this year; we had more people on our selection panel - two committee members and three outsiders - with a wider background, wider interests and differing media specialities.

"We've expanded into new media, such as furniture, and I also think more people have got to know about this event. We've had a few people who did it two years ago come back after a rest and there are plenty of new artists too."

Who stands out among the new names for 2005?

"Sculptress Sally Arnup is doing it for the first time, showing her bird and animal sculptures at her studios in Holtby. Her son Ben has exhibited his ceramics regularly at the event, and he talked her into joining him. She seems to have really embraced it.

"Nick Clarke's furniture is a new addition. He's exhibiting at Judy Burnett's house in Holly Terrace, where her landscapes paintings are always popular, and they should complement each other. With furniture we viewed it the same way we view the ceramics: yes, it's useful but its usefulness is subordinate to its aesthetic value."

Staff at Bootham School are exhibiting once again, and this time there will be three staff members from The Mount School too.

"Francesca Green will be showing her glass; Sian Gabraitis, her landscape paintings and prints; and Wendy Hodges, her photography and painting. Again, by having three exhibitors in one place that adds to the variety, and it encourages people who may have looked at only one artist's work to look at others."

The event is expanding geographically too.

"Yes, it's nice to be opening it up to areas and locations where we've not been before, such as Burton Stone Lane, which will have quite a different profile to somewhere like Stillingfleet. Copmanthorpe, Wigginton and Holtby are all new this year."

Back-tracking for a moment, how did the Open Studios weekend first come into being?

"Lots of cities do this sort of event; Cambridge and Brighton have run them the longest, probably 25 years. I used to live in London and went to all the events there but when we moved up to York, we found nothing here, moaned about it and decided to get off our butts to start something up. If you just moan, nothing gets done!"

York Opens Studios looks to be built on solid foundations. How did you achieve that?

"We've have had more people on the committee this year. In the past we had Gail Fox, Julie Bailey and me; this year artists David Patrick, Jerry Scott and Mary Greene have joined us, so that's lightened the load for each of us.

"We've also had three years' worth of awards confirmed, which will cover our basic costs for the next three years. Arts Council England and Arts Action York are supporting us and we've had a lot of extra support from City of York Council, both financially and in kind, so we're very grateful to Peter Boardman, the council's cultural events manager.

"Under the Arts Council's agreement to provide funding for three years, they want us to get private funding and sponsorship and we're committed to doing that."

York Open Studios 2005, tomorrow and Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Each location will display a York Open Studios 2005 sign; a free directory with a detailed map of artists and locations is available from all York libraries or by email from info@yorkopenstudios.co.uk. Cycle route maps are at libraries too.

Updated: 16:18 Thursday, April 07, 2005