New arts centre opens

A new £400,000 community arts resource centre has opened in Gloucestershire.

The New Mercury centre in Cinderford has raised the money over the last two years to move out of its old two-room home.

The centre, on the site of the old Mercury newspaper offices and print works, hosts adult courses during the day, and is available for youth events during the evening.

It is equipped with workshops, performance space, a dark room, a video editing suite and an exhibition gallery.

Community arts development worker Sally Gibson told BBC News Online: "The exhibition space, for local artists and community work, is a huge development, as is the performance space and the youth arts programme."

The money was raised by local events, plus grants from a host of public bodies and charities.

These include the South West Regional Development Agency, the regional arts lottery programme, the Forest of Dean Council and The Countryside Agency.