The annual National Festival of Making will take over dozens of venues in the centre of Blackburn this July. Welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year, the annual festival is a celebration of making and manufacturing in all its forms, from the kitchen table to the factory floor. Bringing together new commissions from nationally renowned artists and makers with a packed programme of free talks, workshops, events and live performances for the whole family, the festival is inspired by the creativity and culture that Blackburn has pioneered and produced for hundreds of years.
The creative outcomes of Art in Manufacturing – months’ long artists’ residencies at leading Lancashire factories are presented as part of Festival’s cultural programme - these are:
- A new installation by emerging artist, Manchester-based Nehal Aamir. Drawing on the people and processes of Darwen Terracotta and Faience where high tech merges with master craftspeople, Aamir’s contemporary ceramic ‘tapestry’ frieze also is inspired by the collection at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery which marks its 150th anniversary this year and where the work will be displayed.
- British textile artist and designer of woven textiles Margo Selby is creating her newest site-specific artwork; a large fabric sculpture that will feature a colour palette created from the colour choices of over 100 workers at Standfast & Barracks factory in Lancaster. Winner of the Turner Medal for Britain’s Greatest Colourist, Selby is known for her use of colour and striking geometric designs. For this commission, a large sculptural constructed textile using the printing techniques of Standfast and Barracks will be enhanced by a sound piece by composer artist Peter Coyte created especially for the festival. This work is co-commissioned by the British Textile Biennial.
- The first ever solo show by learning disabled artist, Manchester-based Horace Lindezey. Delivered with Venture Arts at The Making Rooms, Lindezey’s fascination with the ceremonies surrounding births, marriages and deaths is explored in a multi-disciplinary installation of over 50 memorial ‘blue plaques’ and commemorative plates; a specially curated playlist; a wedding banquet complete with handmade tablecloths and favours.
- A factory ‘fun house’ from Brighton-based artist Sam Williams who specialises in playful sculpture. Inspired by the wonder, culture and physical environment Williams has enjoyed while in residency at The Cardboard Box Company, a large-scale installation, giving the illusion of a giant machine, will invite audiences to explore the colourful structure made mostly of cardboard, at The Cotton Exchange.
New commissions for the Festival also include:
- An architectural ‘Welcome Arch’, made up of a series of pieces that fit together, will be assembled by participants to create a central structure as part of the festival. A co-commission with Pendle Festival of Culture, Birmingham-based Dual Works have developed and created the work inspired by the shared history of the communities of Pendle and Blackburn.
- A collaborative tapestry table will see visitors to the Festival take a moment to add to this ever growing communal piece developed with Stitch-School. In the lead up to the Festival, the stitch table will travel to some of Blackburn’s brilliant networks and community groups, supported by artist Sana Maulvi. With design influenced by Community Harmony Project, a group that supports migrant, asylum and refugee communities, the common thread that runs throughout the design is ‘Our Home’ – the theme of this year’s Refugee Week. The cloth will feature patterns and colours stitched by hundreds of hands from across the community at a series of events leading up to and during the Festival, including over Refugee Week (17-23 June). Stitch-School’s previous collaborators include V&A Dundee, Alexander McQueen and TRImarchi - the biggest design gathering in Latin America.
- ‘Fold Your Town’ by creative play facilitators A Line Art. This interactive workshop encourages audiences of all ages to create an evolving model village version of Blackburn, folding and decorating large, individual, bespoke origami houses, local landmarks, cars and houses.
- ‘12’, a photography exhibition from Blackburn-based photography research team John Harrison and Shaun McAllister, will launch at the National Festival of Making. Inspired by the motivations behind, and meanings of, volunteering, the exhibition and accompanying essays highlight the work of a strong local community of volunteers.
Lauren Zawadzki, Co-Director of the National Festival of Making, said: “We are excited to showcase the work of leading UK creative talents, alongside emerging and next generation artists, in Blackburn’s annual celebration of making, and we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors from across the district and the UK.
"We want Blackburn to be seen far and wide as the natural home of making, both in the past and looking to the future, and with so much creative talent right here, it’s a privilege to be able to platform that through the festival programme.”
Tony’s Ballroom, Blackburn’s iconic former Northern Soul venue will be taken over by Lancashire based youth culture creative studio Dirty Faces to spotlight some of the best independent films from emerging and independent North West filmmakers.
Trigger offers a moment of pause with ‘TEABREAK’, an audio experience to take audiences on a journey across the world over a brew; poet Beth Calverley will be on hand to create bespoke poems from visitors' own words with her magical ‘Poetry Machine’. Visitors can help build an urban growing system or take part in workshops where all ages can learn backstrap or paper weaving, leatherworking, screen printmaking, and lots more to be announced. The STEAM Zone with Blackburn College will host science, technology, engineering, arts and maths activities all weekend alongside street food and vendors from the Taste Lancashire Market and the Makers Market by Hopeful & Glorious – a carefully curated collection of stalls selling local artisan products.
Live performances will take place over the town centre throughout the weekend, with folk and street dance by Step Hop House; community drumming groups with the Blackburn Festival of Light Street Band and Suco Samba, and The Bug Club - a VW style DJ booth - will soundtrack the festival.
Keep checking in HERE for the very latest festival updates.
Header Image: 'Trigger' at Blackburn's National Festival of Making (Image: Luke Witcomb)
