The Ely Arts Festival has come back this year and brought with it several art exhibitions and a competition.

The #PictureEly competition is a challenge to photograph, paint, sketch or otherwise create an artistic recreation of your favourite part of Ely.

The free event asks those taking part to collect a #PictureEly sticker at the Ely Arts Festival stand on Ely Market, create their piece and share it on social media with the hashtag #PictureEly or bring it back to the stand and have it done for you.

The event will run 10am to 3pm today (Sunday, June 19) so make sure to get your pieces in on the day and on time.

There will be three art exhibitions available to the public too, the first of which will be local artist Ted Coney opening up his studio doors at his home at 49 Waterside, Ely, in his exhibition Artist at Home: Ted Coney.

The artist will display his paintings. It’s free however social distancing may limit capacity.

Ely Standard: Ted Coney with his 2021 oil paint 'Memento Mori'Ted Coney with his 2021 oil paint 'Memento Mori' (Image: Ted Coney)

There will also be an exhibition of ceramics from Rebecca Harvey. The exhibition will show her collection of cups, bowls and other ceramics.

The free exhibition will be held at The Old Fire Engine House, Ely, in the first floor gallery, and will run throughout the festival from Tuesday to Sunday, opening at 10.30am each day.

Another exhibition will be running from Tuesday, June 21 to Sunday, June 26, Pandora’s Box – Responding Together with Hope.

This exhibition at Babylon Gallery in Ely will feature a specially curated selection of art, music, conversation, reading and thinking.

Each day from Tuesday to Sunday will feature different events and things to enjoy.

  • June 21 will feature an exhibition of art and a drop in activity from noon to 4pm.
  • On June 22, the gallery has drop-in talks about refugee and community art, music and poetry, from 12pm to 9pm.
  • The exhibition continues on June 23 with drop-in mask making class.
  • Repair and Craftivism on June 24 will teach sewing and upcycling from noon to 4pm, repeating June 25 and 26, with music later from local composer Edwin Sung from 6pm to 8pm.
  • June 25 has the Grrls Rock Workshop, an introductory class to songwriting and guitar for girls, non-binary and trans young people aged 12 to 18 from 10am to 11.30am. Musicians need to bring their own headphones.
  • Lastly June 26 has a drop-in talk on 'Outsider Art' from noon to 1pm.