HAVERFORDWEST’S VC gallery opened its latest exhibition in the former Store Twenty One on Bridge Street as the town's Christmas lights were switched on December 2.

The art was produced by amateurs and professionals alike at workshops and galleries across Pembrokeshire.

Community workshops took place in the VC gallery on Haverfordwest’s High Street as well as across the county.

Over 200 pieces of art are being exhibited in the gallery.

The vast range of art came from the likes of Dean Inker, Paul Hoare, and Maxine Bunston.

Andrew Bailey, one of the professional artists exhibiting said: “Recently it’s been said that Pembrokeshire has the highest head of full-time professional artists and craftspeople of any county in the UK.

“This suggests that people like to buy local art not just mass-produced things. They like to support local artists.”

Carol Buckingham, who went along to a workshop three years ago, now meets regularly with a group at the VC on Wednesdays.

“It just gets the community together. It supports a lot of people, especially the elderly.

“We get to do a mixture of different things, not just painting but crafts which keep people’s mind active,” she said.

Pete Jones, who runs some of the workshops, has been teaching people from 14 months old to 104 years old.

He said that due to the gallery having lots of different disciplines, it means that they can use different types of engagement with a range of people.

One of the VC gallery’s main objectives is to work with veterans and people in the community on various art projects to improve mental health and wellbeing.

The current exhibition at the VC Gallery's Bridge Street building is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm for the foreseeable future.