THE Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes will be hosting a number of major exhibitions throughout the summer season, showcasing the wonderful and often unusual work of local artists.

Highlights in the John Baker Exhibition Hall include:

On show now until 16 May - Jo Grande, Weaver of Dreams. Watercolour paintings and hand weaving, inspired by the Dales landscape.

May 19 until 9 June - Rod Smith, A Way of Life. A photographic exhibition inspired by farming families, including oral history and photographic work with Swaledale school children and their families.

June 15 until 30 June - Jill Clay, Silken Strands 2002. An exhibition of silk paintings to run alongside demonstrations and 'drop in' workshops.

Says Fiona Rosher, Dales Countryside Museum manager: "The John Baker Exhibition Hall is a great space in which we can bring to the visiting public art covering an inspiring range of mediums and subjects. With a varied exhibition's calendar, there is something to appeal to all tastes, adding to anyone's visit to Hawes this summer."

Entry to all exhibitions is free and the Museum is open daily between 10.00am and 5.00pm.

• Organisers are hoping that people who visit any of the exhibitions will be encouraged to visit the museum itself, which brings alive the past of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with interactive exhibits, videos and displays. Adult entry to the Museum costs £3, concession £2 and children under 16 get in for free.