Haworth Art Gallery has been shortlisted for a bursary in a national competition.

A number of arts centres have been nominated and users will be able to choose the winner by taking part in an online poll.

The winner will be assigned an international artist who will help run a special event in May 2014.

It comes as gallery figures revealed a 59 per cent increase in visitor numbers over the past two years, with bosses thanking the Accrington Observer for its coverage of the arts centre over the last 12 months.

The number of people attending the gallery off Manchester Road has jumped from 5,733 in 2011 to 9,100 in 2013.

The gallery has featured regularly in the Observer over the past few years including stories of controversial artworks, prominent exhibitions and the monthly Gallery Corner in our It’s All Yours section.

Yvonne Robins, gallery coordinator, pictured, said if the gallery won the competition it would work with performing arts students from Accrington and Rossendale College to transport current celebrities like Lady Gaga and Dizzy Rascal back to the music hall days of 1914.

She said:?“They will be made up as the celebrities and dressed as their predecessors.

“They will then go out and about in shops, supermarkets, the Market Hall, schools and colleges, where they will be ‘fan-bombed’ by teenagers screaming for their autograph.

“Passers-by will be encouraged to photograph them and upload the images to Facebook etc. and will be invited to the ‘Night at the Museum’ event that evening.

“The evening event will be a ‘Music Hall’ with a twist.

“The celebrities will sing a popular Music Hall number, but in the style of the celebrity like ‘When I’m Cleaning Windows’ rapped by Dizzy Rascal.

“It promises to be a brilliant night.”

Voting for the Connect10 competition runs between January 14 and January 28.

To vote visit: www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-go/museums-at night/art 461578.