MORE than 60 artists and almost 100 businesses will be taking part in Lyme Regis ArtsFest, which launches later this month.

Artists will open their studios to the public, display their work in public venues and local businesses and host workshops and events from Saturday, September 26 until Sunday, October 4.

Organisers of the new Lyme literature festival will also hold literary events over the nine days, and Lyme youth project B Sharp will host music events.

The festival will be officially opened at noon on Saturday, September 26, by town mayor Michaela Ellis and town crier Phil Street, followed by a civic procession from Cobb Gate to the Town Mill.

The festival is launched later that day at 6pm in the Town Mill, where a taster exhibition of work by all the ArtsFest artists will be shown in the Mill Galleries.

The mill’s resident potters Don Hudson and Berey Pealing, assisted by Don’s students, will be demonstrating Raku firing.

Decorated pots are put in a red-hot kiln and when removed, they are offered to the air and receive some water before being buried in sawdust, which ignites.

Once the fires have done their job, the pots are doused with water.

The firings take place from 10am to 4pm on the opening two days and for £5 per pot, people can chose a prepared pot and are shown how to decorate it before watching it being fired to eventually take home.

B Sharp musicians will also perform songs written especially for the opening ceremony.

Local artists will open their studios to the public and their locations can be found on the ArtsFest map in the programme or on the website.

Group exhibitions will also be held at the Baptist Church Hall, Lyme Regis Sailing Club, the Masonic Hall, and Town Mill Galleries. Art lovers can also follow a trail of the artists’ work around local shops and businesses, which will exhibit the art in their windows and stores.

There is plenty of opportunity for the public to get involved at the workshops and events, including a class making ‘raggy pictures’, lessons in painting and drawing, and creating your own sculptures.

Literary walks and talks also feature and author Tracy Chevalier will be in town for Mary Anning Day, following the recent release of her book about the famous Lyme fossil hunter.

Full festival details are available in the programme, available at various outlets in Lyme Regis, or on the website at www.lymeregisartsfest.com