HOLLYWOOD actor Mark Beltzman, who has appeared in Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, held workshops with budding Trowbridge actors last week as part of a new arts project.

Mr Beltzman, 52, held classes in ‘improv’ at Trowbridge Town Hall and at The Arc Theatre.

Improv is a form of unscripted performance, which involves the skills of listening and co-operation; Mr Beltzman was a founding member of Improv Olympic, in Chicago, during the 1980s.

He said: “I had a lovely time and the town hall was a great teaching space. There was a really good standard at the workshops.”

Mr Beltzman has now returned to London and will be giving more classes before returning to America on February 25 in time to take part in the New York Improv Festival in March.

He said: “It was a pleasure to work with the kids over here and I would love to come back to the UK in the future.

“I teach, I act in movies and I’m also a comedian and musician so I really enjoy having variety in my life.”

The workshops kick-started a new project between Trowbridge Arts and BA14 Culture. The latter has received around £120,000 in funding from bodies including Arts Council England, Wiltshire Council and Trowbridge Town Council.

Tracy Sullivan, director of Trowbridge Arts, said: “We are over the moon that Trowbridge has been successful in a bid made to the arts council to support the delivery of professional performance, workshops and visual arts, and we’re thrilled to welcome Mark to inspire people of all ages and abilities at the very beginning of this two year project.”

As part of their plans, the groups want to introduce a new audience to arts in the town and offer more to the one that already exists.

To celebrate the start of the project, Trowbridge Arts is planning to hold a launch event.

Anyone who would like to host workshops, performances and exhibitions is welcome to get in touch with the organisation.

For more information about the project, email trowarts@gmail.com or call Tracy on 07540 938936.