The National Festival of Making - Residency with Darwen Terracotta

I am  pleased to announce my participation in the ground breaking ‘Art In Manufacturing’ project. As part of the first ever National Festival of Making, supported by arts commissioners Super Slow Way and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, exciting new art will roll off the production lines of factories in Pennine Lancashire as nine, specially commissioned artists negotiate heavy machinery, industrial production techniques and up to 160 years of making heritage. I will be working with the fabulous Darwen Terracotta to create a piece of artwork in collaboration with their highly skilled workforce.  More info to follow.

Exchanging their studios for the hot houses of modern manufacturing, the artists will enjoy an unprecedented level of access to staff, machinery, company archives and materials at the nine partnering manufacturers, all located around Pennine Lancashire in North West England. Art In Manufacturing not only seeks to develop the ideas of artists in unfamiliar environments and create engaging and accessible new work, but also encourage investigation into Britain’s manufacturing heritage, specifically that of Lancashire, with direct engagement from staff members in each participating company.

The resulting artworks and performances will be revealed as part of the National Festival of Making, appearing in the town centre of Blackburn, Lancashire.

Developed by a new Festival of Making Community Interest Company - a collaborative venture involving designer, Wayne Hemingway MBE, festival producers, Deco Publique and creative place-making social enterprise, Placeshakers the festival is a FREE family festival happening just an hour away from Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. The festival programme, encompassing cultural events, markets and workshops, promises to be a vibrant celebration of British making, where people of all ages will see, hear, taste and take part in things they’ll encounter nowhere else.

Art In Manufacturing at The National Festival of Making

Sat 6 – Sun 7 May 2017

FREE

Blackburn, Lancashire (Various Town Centre Locations)

For updates about the festival programme and information on how to get involved visit www.festivalofmaking.co.uk and sign up to the mailing list. News and opportunities will also be posted on Twitter at www.twitter.com/festofmaking and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/festofmaking.