Aspiring student artists are using their work to encourage more visitors to the historic village of Elsecar in Yorkshire.

The group of Barnsley College art and design learners worked closely with the Elsecar Heritage Centre to produce artwork depicting the history of the village, focusing on its architecture, industry and residents.

The artwork has already been showcased at the ‘Elsecar: A village begins to reveal its secrets’ exhibition at the Elsecar Heritage Centre, and will soon be on display to the public.

The project was part of a three-year partnership between Barnsley Museums and Historic England called the Heritage Action Zone, to attract more people to visit the area and celebrate its history.

“I really like history and enjoyed learning about the mining industry and how it changed the lives of the people of Elsecar,” explained one of the artists, Rebecca Warburton. “I decided this was what I wanted my artwork to represent.”

“Working with the College is helping the HAZ team to explore different and creative ways in which they can inspire new audiences and celebrate Elsecar’s amazing story,” added Roy Miller, a Barnsley councillor.