What's on: Start From Scratch in Burnley (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What's on: Start From Scratch in Burnley

5:09pm Monday 6th September 2010 in

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SOME of the UK’s finest street artists will be showcasing their work at an exhibition in Burnley from September 10 to 25.

The event is being staged by Cliviger artist Mark Cameron, 37, whose company Best Joined Up stages live street art demonstrations and exhibitions across Europe.

Mark is now bringing street art home with a two-week free exhibition having taken over an empty shop at 14 St James’s Street, a former motor vehicle parts and accessories store.

He said: “There is a big tradition of street art and graffiti in Burnley, and this is a chance to bring it home and showcase it to a new generation.

“When I got the chance to take over the empty shop it was too good an opportunity to miss.”

In the last four years Best Joined Up has taken demonstrations and exhibitions to London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh as well as Rome and Croatia.

“We work with some of the top artists in the country,” said Mark.

“These people come from all over the UK and are right at the top of their game.

"One has worked closely with the famous street artist Banksy.

“The exhibition is a chance for people to see street art perhaps for the first time at an extremely high level.”

Mark was brought up in Burnley before going to study music and media technology at Leeds University, but he has now returned to the area.

In the past ten years he has visited schools across East Lancashire to teach drawing and painting.

He said street art was now being recognised as a viable form of art.

“Street art has become huge recently,” he said. “It was featured in a gallery at the Tate Modern and seems to be recognised as mainstream art now.”

The opening night of the exhibition will be on Friday, when artists will be putting on live performances. Spaces for the opening are limited and people can book a place by visiting www.bestjoinedup.com/startfromscratch.

* Start From Scratch is at 14 St James Street, Burnley from Friday, September 10 until Saturday, September 25. Open Wednesdays and Thursday 12 noon to 6.30pm as well as special events and workshops.