YOUNG people will have the chance to dip into the world of the internationally renowned street artist Banksy thanks to new art courses at the Douglas Youth Arts Centre.

Artist and art teacher Sue George will start the course with a workshop in stencil art.

It had been due to take place on Tuesday, January 11, but was rescheduled to start tomorrow, Tuesday, January 18.

Participants will design and produce their own stencils by printing and cutting stencils before spray painting the design. They will also practice manipulating digital images as the basis for the stencil design.

Sue has provided stencil workshops in Australia, Korea and Vietnam and has been producing stencil art prints for the past four years. Workshop participants will have their designs included in an exhibition which will be staged at the Youth Arts Centre.

Fiona Helleur, head of Youth Arts with the Department of Education and Children, said: "Street art is one of the most exciting mediums for self expression in art and we are planning a whole series of events based around stencils.

"Sue is an admirer of Banksy, the internationally renowned street artist, and has developed her own skills to include this anarchic media.

"There is a example of Sue's stencil art on the wall of the Soundcheck studios at the arts centre. She took a photograph of a member of a Soundcheck band, enlarged it to A1 size and then painstakingly cut out the stencil which she then spray painted directly onto the wall, where it is much admired and commented upon."

Workshops are suitable for beginners as well as art students who are interested in diversifying the work within their portfolios. Participants must be 14 years and over.

Sessions take place weekly at 4pm from Tuesday, January 18. They cost £1 to attend.

For further information contact Fiona Helleur on 07624 437339 or e-mail f.helleur@doe.sch.im.