The Market town of Stroud has attracted and inspired artists for over a century – Victorian designer William Morris to twenty first century art superstars, Damien Hirst and Dan Chadwick. Brit artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster's work is collected by Charles Saatchi and in the Tate Gallery collection.

From the world of applied arts Stroud is home to cast glass super stars Colin Reid, Sally Fawkes and Richard Jackson, mosaic artist Cleo Mussi to name but a few of the many creative individuals who live and work in the beautiful Five Valleys.

For the artistically-minded visitor, all this adds up to a contemporary arts scene where leading international artists show their work, exciting attractions, galleries and exhibitions to visit, craft shops and potteries of real quality and some distinctive and unusual shops, such as "Made in Stroud" in Stroud or Painswick Woodcrafts.

My advice to visitors is to note that the arts and crafts are alive and well and not confined to museums. Explore the towns, villages and festivals of the Cotswolds and you'll find vibrant creative people at work today, great galleries, exciting courses to join and beautiful work to take home.

Scan through the navigation bar on the left, to learn more about the arts.