PEOPLE are being invited to add their signature to a major new piece of artwork which will be created as part of Brontë birthday celebrations.

Large-scale textile works marking the famous signatures of the legendary literary sisters are to be installed on the Brontë Way footpath.

And internationally-acclaimed artist Lynn Setterington is seeking public input at a series of workshops.

The Sew Near-Sew Far project – a collaboration with the Brontë Parsonage Museum – is in support of Brontë200, a five-year programme celebrating the bicentenaries of the births of Charlotte in 2016, Branwell in 2017, Emily in 2018 and Anne in 2020.

Lynn said: "Signatures are an important marker of identity and the Brontë sisters famously used pseudonyms at their time of writing to disguise the fact they were women.

"I'm creating three artworks for the Brontë Parsonage Museum exploring the adopted and real signatures of Charlotte, Emily and Anne and I'm looking for local people to help me create them by sewing their own signatures into the pieces.

"We're looking for individuals and organisations that make a difference to their community – people who often go without thanks or praise for the amazing work they do.

"We're already working with Talk English in Bradford – an organisation that teaches English to those new to Britain – volunteers on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and Worth Valley Young Farmers, who fundraise and support a number of charities."

Workshops are being held at the Old School Room in Haworth on Tuesday, July 25, and August 15, and details of additional ones during the summer will be posted at bronte.org.uk.

Lauren Livesey, arts officer at the Parsonage, said: "We're currently delivering our five-year bicentennial festival and Sew Near-Sew Far falls into the year of Branwell Brontë, brother to Charlotte, Emily and Anne.

"This project is a fantastic way for local people to play a part in the Brontë200 celebrations.

"Anyone can take part and all the materials will be supplied.

"The sessions will be great fun and everyone is encouraged to be as creative as possible when sewing their signatures."

The finished artwork will go on display at sites near the Brontë Bridge and Waterfall from September 30 to October 15.

And a film documenting the collaboration will be screened later this year.

The initiative forms part of Meeting Point2, a year-long venture led by Arts & Heritage in which artists partner with museums to produce new works inspired by each museum and its collections.

For more details of Sew Near-Sew Far, visit bronte.org.uk.