WORK by Bradford-based artist Ben Snowden has been selected to be part of the Priseman Seabrook Collection of 21st Century British Painting.

The collection - which includes works by David Hockney, Lucian Freud and Tracey Emin and many more well-known artists - is a British-based private collection founded by the artist Robert Priseman and his wife Ally Seabrook. It is made up of three categories: 21st Century British Painting, 20th and 21st Century British Works on Paper and Contemporary Chinese Works on Paper, and is a partner of the charity Art UK, which enables the public to see images of all the oil paintings in public ownership in the country, through catalogues and a website.

It is the only art collection in the United Kingdom dedicated to painting produced in Britain after the year 2000 and pieces from it are periodically exhibited at galleries across Europe. "I am thrilled that my work is now part of it," he says.

Ben, who grew up in Keighley and studied at Bradford College, has a number of exhibitions this year. From August 27 until September 2 his work is part of a group show, Nostalgia, at The Municipal Gallery of Piraeus in Athens, Greece

"I am very excited about that," he says. "It is organised and curated by Art Number23 based in London."

He is taking part in the Friends Of South Square Exhibition at South Square Centre in Thornton, running until September 2 and currently has a selection of paintings on show at The Art Works in Otley, West Yorkshire.

"It is important to me to exhibit locally," he says. "At South Square it is a really good mixed exhibition of contemporary art."

Ben has always been drawn to painting and drawing. “I loved the fact that anything was possible with these mediums." It’s about creating your own language.”

He is also taking part in Our Earth, an exhibition of British and international artists at the Kunsthuis Gallery in Crayke, North Yorkshire, until December.

Further afield, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, he is exhibiting at Town Hall Arts Open Exhibition, to September 15. *artnumber23.uk/open-calls; southsquarecentre.co.uk; artworksframing.co.uk; .kunsthuisgallery.com; trowbridgearts.com. Helen Mead