Oxfordshire Artweeks festival fans can now get their hands on the 2012 guide to the events and exhibitions that will be taking places in nearly 500 venues across the county this May.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the festival guide has a striking new look described by Katherine Shock, coordinator of Oxford’s Turrill Sculpture Garden, as ‘Sensational, contemporary and romantic simultaneously.’

With 1000 artists taking part, the cover image has been provided this year by Andrew Martin, a Botley photographer who captured an allium plant in a Great Rollright garden as light fell through a polytunnel. Andrew specialises in macrophotography, and by focusing on the tiny details of larger objects presents the viewer with a new perspective on everyday objects and places. Many of his pictures, some of which are printed on large aluminium pieces, are a mystery, challenging the observer to recognise the subject, Andrew had a piece selected for exhibition at the Royal College of Art last year as a result of BBC2s Show me the Monet series, intriguing the judge and Art critic Roy Bolton with his skill. He is a regular Artweeks exhibitor and will be showing his work at the North Oxford Community Centre in Diamond Place, Summertown during May (Artweeks venues 297).

With new local area trails, as well as the definitive festival guide and website, throughout May visitors will have the chance to see the art produced in their own communities, to ask local artists about their inspirations, techniques and materials, and even have a go themselves. Fifty thousand copies of the guide are now available to collect at libraries, information centres and Hamptons offices or can be downloaded from www.artweeks.org.
Artweeks is celebrated across Oxfordshire in partnership with local arts centres, museums, and other Oxfordshire organisations, with support from Hamptons International whose Oxford and Deddington offices will house taster art throughout May.