Patients at Truro's Royal Cornwall Hospital will be treated to a free art exhibition thanks to a group of female artists.

The Taking Space group was formed in 1993 by St Ives artists Mary Fletcher, Joy Elliot and Ursula Gleeson. The aim was to give women artists that were living in and working in Cornwall a way of exhibiting their work, while continuing to pursue other creative activities.

The group's latest venture is an exhibition at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, with a sister exhibition at the West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance.

The exhibitions encourage diversity, by allowing members to select their own work for the exhibition free from external pressures.

Mary Fletcher explained: "As a founder member, I regard Taking Space as a quietly subversive group, because it encourages members to exhibit a widely diverse range of art, all self-selected."

Over the years the group has attracted new members from further afield and has evolved with its changing membership. Nearly 70 artists have been part of the group over the years, and it is this continual change that gives Taking Space its incredible vibrancy and interest.

Sara Norrish, arts co-ordinator said: "We are thrilled to have an exhibition that demonstrates such great diversity of style and media and we hope that both staff and patients will enjoy such a varied and exciting exhibition."

Members exhibit in galleries, restaurants and pubs throughout the region and their hospital exhibitions will be on display until April.