A NEW venue for the arts in Torfaen will be launched at Pontypool Museum on Wednesday, September 21.

The new gallery, supported by a lottery grant from the Arts Council of Wales, is to be named The Barker Gallery.

This is in honour of Pontypool's famous father-and-son artists Benjamin and Thomas Barker.

The Barker Gallery will provide a unique programme of changing exhibitions and related events, emphasising aspects of historic, Welsh and contemporary culture, art and craft.

Housed in the museum's former coach house, the Barker Gallery is a complimentary display space to the existing exhibitions and collections housed in the museum.

The opening exhibition will be Altar Ego - an Arts council-funded ffotogallery project in conjunction with Phil Cope.

Cope, from Bridgend, visited Haiti several times, researching voodoo ceremonies and structures, especially the altars found in Haitian homes.

The exhibition runs from September 12 to November 18.

Information on 01495 752036.