Joanna Millett, who works mainly with film, video and sound to create her art installations, has been appointed as the castle's latest artist in a project funded jointly by Harrogate Borough Council and Arts Council, England, Yorkshire.

The project aims to give the artist time and space to make art, and to involve visitors and the local community with the castle through visual art.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Joanna is based in Hull and exhibits both at home and abroad. Recent works include Moving the Image with Women, Arts and Media in Hull; the Scarborough drift project, and A Century of Artists' Film in Britain at Tate Britain.

As an artist, Joanna is interested in landscape and how it is represented. Although this has been traditionally been the province of painters, in recent years many artists have used film and video to investigate landscape.

She views Knaresborough Castle as an important public space with many activities going on in it.

"I plan to use video and sound, initially to investigate and examine these layers and the activities that are taking place," said Joanna. "The geography, topography and the communal use of the site, all of these things interest me.

"I want to talk to the people who use the Castle, to examine the significance of the place to them and let this lead me further into an understanding of the site."

Joanna Millett will be working every day in her studio next to the Courthouse Museum at the Castle.

Fridays (from noon till 4pm) through till September 28 will be Open Studio Days when visitors are invited in to talk to the artist about her work.

* Knaresborough Castle is open every day from 10.30am to 5pm till September 30. Tours run at 11am, noon, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.
Admission is £2.60 for adults, £1.60 for concessions, £1.40 for children and £7.50 for families.