TOUCH Contemporary Art in Stroud and the Rivers Gallery in Nailsworth have joined forces to promote art and craft in the area and much farther afield.

"We serve a very similar market, with similar tastes, yet we never hold the same work and we both change work in our galleries regularly," said Judi Jackson of the Rivers Gallery.

"Joining together as sister galleries will enable greater and wider promotion of artists and their work and bring wider choice to lovers of affordable art."

"It doesn't stop there 'though", commented Wendy Drake of Touch, "plans are under way to hold joint exhibitions in larger venues thereby extending choice and interest in original art and craft even further".

The launch date for the sister galleries launched their sisterhood this September with the Rivers Gallery's Very Free and Easy exhibition and Touch's A World of Difference.

A joint newsletter will be available by post, by calling in at the galleries and very soon on the Rivers Gallery website, www.riversgallery.com, or on Touch Contemporary Art's website www.touchecontemporaryart.com