A NEW community-run art gallery in the heart of Leytonstone's shopping district will help further establish the area as a hotbed of creative talent, organisers say.

The 'Stone Space' opens this Saturday (October 1) in the former Waltham Forest Direct council building in Church Lane next to the library.

It comes after residents from the Leytonstone Arts Trail group secured use of the site from the authority this month following its closure as an advice and service centre in August.

A team of volunteers will run the gallery four days a week, which a regular rotation of exhibitions from both local and national artists.

Chris Davies, chair of the art trail, said: “The trail has been growing in success over the years and there's a lot of talented artists here, so there's clearly a demand and need for this type of thing.

“It's very exciting that we will be able to extend the enjoyment of a great range of arts from a couple of weeks of the year to all year round.”

She added: “We hope it will encourage more people to come into the town centre to hang out and add something to Leytonstone's reputation. We always work very well with the shops and cafes for the art trail and together we work together to bring people in.”

It is the latest in a series of volunteer-run ventures in council-owned buildings.

Earlier in September residents in Walthamstow started up The Mill community centre in the former St James Street library building after securing a long-term lease.

Campaigners are also trying to turn the former Waltham Forest Direct shop in Chingford into a community-run library.

But unlike The Mill, the council has been helping to renovate the Stone Space and also drawn up an informal agreement to let residents run it indefinitely.

Ms Davies said: “We're very grateful for the council's help and partnership. The arrangement is as permanent as things can be in these financial times but we hope it will have a long future.”

Carne Griffiths, a Leytonstone artist of Forest Road, is one of those whose work will be exhibited.

He said: “We hope the space will attract creatives from outside of Leytonstone to show their work here too - it's such a fantastic opportunity to showcase work.”

The gallery will be open every Saturday, Sunday, Thursday and Friday. Visit www.thestonespace.wordpress.com for more information.

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter