BURY Art Museum is working with the Met to provide people with access to culture while they stay at home during the coronavirus crisis.

The public gallery and the performing arts venue are now closed due to the government’s lockdown measures.

But the arts team at Bury Council is moving its learning and engagement programme to the internet so that people can access their activities online.

The Art Museum has been creating content to help its followers and the community to continue being creative, particularly drawing, during the coronavirus crisis

The team has recently launched SketchbookSTILLSocial, a digital hub to continue lively and informal drawing classes to help keep creativity engaged.

Followers receive daily prompts and inspiration from the museum’s art collection every day.

A spokesman for the arts team said: “It’s not about creating a masterpiece, it’s about giving it a go and having fun. It’s also a space to share for everyone to share their work with us, if they’d like to.

“We are also using our activities such as Monday Life Drawing and Thank Art to inspire people to do something different at home: Ask members of the household to take turns dressing up – the more outlandish the better. Pose and then draw in short bursts try doing it to favourite record or playlist.

“These sorts of drawing activities are being plugged in on our social media weekly.”

Bury was named Greater Manchester’s first town of culture earlier this year.

Chief executive Geoff Little revealed that this celebration of the town’s culture will be put on hold during the coronavirus crisis.

He said: “We were due to be Greater Manchester town of culture. That’s been put on hold due to the emergency.

“But the Met and the council’s museum and art service are doing great work together to make it possible for Bury people to access culture online.

“They’re making sure that’s focusing on people that need it most. We’re operating on the basis that our culture should be the antidote to loneliness and isolation.”

The Arts Museum is currently putting together a new page on its website for online resources.

Followers can join the Facebook group Sketchbook STILL Social for more information and to get involved.