About

 

Select Trail is an exciting trail of artists and makers’ Open Studios and exhibitions located in the idyllic setting of Stroud and the Stroud Valleys, Gloucestershire, in the Cotswolds, England.  The trail is set in an official area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and this influences the creative practices and Arts & Crafts that you’ll discover on the trail.

Each year, for two weekends in May, the trail opens to the public to entice visitors from near and far to explore, meet the artists in person and enjoy the hubs of creativity dotted around Stroud, the surrounding villages and beautiful Laurie Lee countryside.

Select Trail is part of the successful annual Select Festival which runs throughout May (21 April – 28 May 2018), in venues across the glorious Stroud Valleys, and is presented by the internationally renowned SITselect.

See new works by established names such Matthew Harris, Tom Knowles Jackson and Cleo Mussi or discover exciting new artists showing for the first time. Come prepared to buy special gifts and add to your collections. You might amble for a day trip to relax and see friends or enjoy a weekend of focussed Arts & Crafts exploration and shopping. The local cafes and pubs make it easy to enjoy your days and why not learn a new skill at one of the artists’ pop-up events (click here to see the artists and studios offering workshops and skills’ demonstrations?

Did you know, in olde English, “cots” means cottages and “wolds” means hills so now you know that the trail is located in the region of the “hills of old cottages,” made of local stone and interspersed with country farms, leafy lanes, manor houses, historic wool churches and centuries of undulating, tilled landscapes.

It is also the home of Pangolin Foundry at Chalford where international artists such as Damien Hirst, Lynn Chadwick and others have their sculptures cast and two leading cast glass studios.

The history and tradition found here coupled with its rich industrial revolution heritage and local Arts & Crafts education lends the region well to creative minds, expressive hands and a close appreciation of nature.