Gargrave-based Chrysalis Arts has secured a £91,000 award from Arts Council England.

The money will be used to fund a three-year project to create and develop a pilot visual arts touring network, across North Yorkshire and the neighbouring counties of Lancashire and North-East Lincolnshire.

It will collaborate with a range of venues, including Craven Museum in Skipton and The Folly in Settle, to create a new touring network for small-scale contemporary art and design exhibitions, which will include work by national and international artists.

“The aim of the Arts Council’s strategic touring fund is to make high quality art available to new audiences in new venues,” said Chrysalis Arts director Rick Faulkner.

“This will enable us to bring new contemporary exhibitions of a very high quality to rural and urban fringe audience. The project also includes provision for artists’ talks and masterclasses.

Cluny Macpherson, regional director of the Arts Council England, said: “Chrysalis Arts’ new touring visual arts network will bring high quality exhibitions to more people.

“Our funding will also help people who organise the shows to support local artists and get their work seen more broadly. Most importantly, we hope the project will lead to more people having inspiring experiences of art in their area.”