Following the success of its first Stone Festival at Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle last year, VAR (Vernacular Architectural Revival) is staging another Stone Festival this year on 21-29 September. It will once again be in the grounds of The Bowes Museum and at various locations in Teesdale, County Durham.

The Stone Festival will celebrate the past, present and future of stonework in the North Pennines, still a hotspot for the UK’s stone sector.

The focus will remain on sculpture with a group of craftspeople/artists working under the guidance of an established professional. There will be courses in creative stoneskills available to members of the public and a programme of presentations, walks and demonstrations covering various aspects of stone working to help raise awareness of the deep influence stone has had on the cultural DNA of communities in the region.

So come along and get your hands on the hard stuff. See festival website for more details.