PHOTOGRAPHY with an international flavour will be displayed in Pontypool next month as part of an art group’s pop-up gallery project.

With origins as a pop-gallery, the Kickplate Project has grown to promote high-quality international photography, broaden the art form’s audience in Wales and “fight small-town boredom”.

After leaving their former Bargoed gallery space last year, artists Zosia Krasnowolska and Dafydd Williams have received funding to re-launch an artistic hub in Pontypool.

This includes an £18,500 Welsh Arts Council grant and support from Pontypool Community Council and Torfaen Council’s Arts Development Office with the gallery set to open in early February.

Although the artists are “keeping details under their hats” about the location, they confirmed it will be in the “centre of town” and will be a non-commercial enterprise, offering free entry to visitors.

Former Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw school pupil and experimental photographer Dafydd Williams, 32, hopes the Kickplate Project will bring “arts and culture back into the town”.

He said: “We want to give people the opportunity to access photography from around the world without having the expense of travelling to Cardiff. A lot of people do get left out."

"We want to show it’s viable to have art exhibitions outside of Cardiff and attract people to the area which will bring regeneration — both economic and cultural."

Previous Kickplate exhibitions at the Bargoed gallery ranged from sourcing and displaying old photographic prints from Caerphilly residents to stylish international work bordering on the surreal.

Organisers confirm the Pontypool-based gallery will host eight exhibitions until December 2017 with artists and photography to challenge, inspire and entertain visitors.

Chairman of Pontypool Community Council, Jon Horler, said the council has a tradition of supporting arts in the town and confirmed they awarded a £500 towards the project.

He said: "Personally I would very much hope that this is so much of a success that it can be continued beyond December.

"The people of Pontypool have recently shown their support for events from the Zombie Dancing at Hallowe'en to our Antiques Fairs and I'm sure the project will also be a success and will be enjoyed by our community."

For more information on the ‘Kickplate Project’ and to keep with updates for the gallery, visit http://thekickplateproject.weebly.com/.

Alternatively, search ‘Kickplate Project’ on Facebook or email thekickplateproject@gmail.com.