AN exhibition with a difference goes on show in North Yorkshire today - works of art by young men at Northallerton Young Offenders Institution.

Sculptures, paintings, street art, photographs, and performance art including music and film, all feature in the exhibition, which showcases work produced at the Institution as part of the Connect course, run by North Yorkshire County Council's Connecting Youth Culture team.

The course has been running since 2001, and during that time more than 750 young men between the ages of 18 and 21 have taken part.

The course is aimed at restoring and improving self esteem and offering "empowerment" by giving the young men the opportunity to take part in activities which they would otherwise be unlikely to encounter.

"Some of the work done by these young men is really outstanding," said County Councillor Caroline Patmore, Executive Member for the Children and Young People's Service.

"The activities provided by Connecting Youth Culture include poetry, songwriting and recording, film production, street art, photography, DJ mixing, and music production, and there are some wonderful examples to be seen in this exhibition."

The show will be staged at Northallerton Town Hall today (September 9) from 9.30 to 4.