Tag: Harleston

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Durrants Proud to Support the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail 2026

Durrants is delighted to be sponsoring the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail 2026, as this much-loved creative event returns this May.

Taking place across the weekends of 16–17 May and 23–25 May (including the late bank holiday Monday), the Art Trail offers a unique opportunity to explore the creativity of artists and makers working across the beautiful Waveney Valley on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk.

A Celebration of Local Creativity

Now in its 22nd year, the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail has become a well-established and highly anticipated event in the local calendar. It brings together a diverse collective of artists who open their studios to the public, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at how and where their work is created.

This year, 23 artists will be taking part, showcasing a wide range of disciplines including:

  • Contemporary and traditional painting
  • Printmaking
  • Textiles
  • Ceramics
  • Sculpture
  • Mixed media, drawing and collage

Visitors will have the chance not only to view and purchase original artwork, but also to meet the artists, ask questions and gain insight into their creative processes.

Explore the Waveney Valley

One of the unique aspects of the Art Trail is its setting. Studios are located within a ten-mile radius of Harleston, in a range of picturesque villages including Brockdish, Pulham Market, Ditchingham, Bungay, Mendham, Weybread and Topcroft.

This makes the trail an ideal way to explore the Waveney Valley; combining art, countryside and community into a relaxed and inspiring day out.

Whether you choose to visit a handful of studios or plan a full weekend exploring the trail, there is plenty to discover along the way.

Meet the Artists

A key part of the Art Trail experience is the opportunity to meet the artists themselves.

First-time participant, ceramicist Jason Wick, is looking forward to welcoming visitors to his studio in Denton, where he will be showcasing a large collection of previously unseen work. His practice, which focuses on hand-built ceramics and experimental glazing techniques, is deeply inspired by the local landscape.

Sculptor Pauline Antram, who has recently moved to the area, will be opening her garden studio in Gillingham. Visitors can explore sculptures displayed throughout the outdoor space, alongside drawings and paintings, and gain insight into her creative process.

As organiser Denise Ann explains, the Art Trail offers something for everyone: “Visitors can explore this wonderful area… while discovering artwork aplenty in open studios along the way. They can view inspiring work, talk to artists first-hand and, if something catches their eye, take it home.”

With several new studios opening for the first time this year, even regular visitors can expect fresh discoveries.

Free, Accessible and Community-Led

One of the most appealing aspects of the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail is that it is completely free to attend. Visitors are welcome to browse at their own pace, making it an accessible and inclusive event for all.

The trail is organised by the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail Collective: a vibrant and supportive community of professional artists who live and work in the area. Since its beginnings in 2005, the event has grown steadily, becoming a much-loved celebration of creativity in the region.

At Durrants, we are passionate about supporting the communities we serve across Norfolk and Suffolk. Events like the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail play an important role in bringing people together, celebrating local talent and showcasing the unique character of the area.

By sponsoring the Art Trail, we are proud to support both the artists and the wider community, helping to ensure this inspiring event continues to thrive.

Discover Something New This May

All studios will be open from 10am to 5pm on each day of the trail (with one studio open on the final weekend only).

You can find full details, including additional events and workshops, on the official website.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a collector, or simply looking for an enjoyable way to explore the local area, the Harleston & Waveney Art Trail offers a unique and inspiring experience.

We look forward to seeing the Waveney Valley come alive with creativity once again this May.

 

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On the ‘Trail’ with Harleston and Waveney artists

Harleston and Waveney Art Trail sponsored by Durrants

The picturesque countryside of East Anglia has been the inspiration of many a great artist over the years with its abundance of wildlife, diversity of landscape and huge skies. This summer and autumn Durrants are doing their bit to celebrate some of Norfolk and Suffolk’s talented professional artists and bring it to the fore as lead sponsor of Harleston and Waveney Art Trail.

Harleston and Waveney Art Trail is a diverse and lively community of professional artists who live and work in the beautiful Waveney Valley. The collective put on their first ‘open studios’ trail in 2005 and due to its success have run one every year since, apart from 2020 due to the pandemic.

The 2021 Harleston and Waveney Art Trail will be accompanied by a group exhibition at The Old Harnessmakers Gallery in Harleston. The ‘Meet the Makers’ exhibition will showcase the work of the 11 participating artists and craft makers, acting as a hub for visitors to get a taste of the work on offer throughout the open studios. At the exhibition, audiences will get to see a selection of the artists’ work and can start planning their studio visits with help from gallery owner Lisa Henshall.

The studios will be open over the weekends of 19th and 20th June and 26th and 27th June while the gallery will host the exhibition between 27th May and 3rd July.

The event hopes to encourage visitors to explore the art and landscapes of Harleston and Waveney. Harleston and Waveney Art Trail chairman Malcolm Cudmore said: “I’m beyond delighted that Harleston and Waveney Art Trail is back in action in 2021. As a group, our principal purpose is to welcome visitors to our studios each year – the very thing (for completely understandable reasons) we’ve been unable to do for the last year.”

Dominic Parravani, Managing Director for Durrants is delighted to be supporting the Trail in 2021, having been associated with Harleston and Waveney Art Trail for over three years. “Events like these showcase our region and the talent within it beautifully. Communities are brought together by the Trail, and as an organisation with long established roots in Norfolk and Suffolk, being part of our local community is something we at Durrants are very proud of.”

The eleven artists participating in the Summer Art Trail are Carolyn Moulton, Sara Johnson, Barbara Bernard, Paul Zawadzki, Liz Taunt, Bobbie Watchorn, Rachel Wiles, Ingrid Duffy, Nell Close, Lisa Henshall, Kath Wallace. The artist’s studios are dotted around the valley, in and between Harleston, Wortwell, Homersfield, Denton, Earsham, Ditchingham, Bungay and Hedenham.

Later in the year, an Autumn Trail will take place, with every member of Harleston and Waveney Art Trail – around two dozen artists taking part. This trail will take place over the first three weekends of September – 4th/5th, 11th/12th and 18th/19th.

If you’d like more information about Harleston and Waveney Art Trail visit their website here.

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Teresa Walsh achieves qualification of excellence

Teresa Walsh achieves qualification of excellence

Congratulations to Teresa Walsh, one of our long-serving letting agents in Halesworth, who has achieved her Property Qualifications’ Level 3 Award in Residential Letting and Property Management.

The award is a nationally recognised industry qualification meeting the ARLA Propertymark standards of higher practice in the private rented sector.

Teresa said: “It was important for me to secure this recognised qualification as a letting agent. It is not only a personal achievement but also a mark of professionalism and trust; it provides reassurance to tenants dealing with Durrants that the agency adheres to the highest professional standards, and that employees are qualified and knowledgeable letting agents.”

David Cox, ARLA Propertymark Chief Executive, added: “I congratulate Teresa on her achievement of the Level 3 qualification and continue to welcome her to full ARLA Propertymark membership in the near future.

“ARLA Propertymark strives for better regulation in the private rented sector; with the support of letting agents across the UK recognising the need for higher standards and integrity in the sector, gaining a qualification with Propertymark Qualifications counts as a real stamp of professionalism and supports the drive for better practice within the industry.”