Published Monday 7 July 2025 at 11:47
Tens of thousands of visitors – from near and far – turned out to Blackburn at the weekend drawn by the promise of the ‘most exciting line-up yet’ for the National Festival of Making.
And the event didn’t just deliver – it exceeded all expectations!
Now in its ninth year, the festival team blew everyone away, bringing together works by globally renowned artists alongside a huge programme of more than 100 workshops, artist talks, performances, markets, music, and more.
Every inch of Blackburn town centre became a riot of colour, activity, and excitement, with people of all ages coming together to experience something new and creative.
Elena Jackson, National Festival of Making Co-Director, said:
From Friday’s industry talks programme and preview tours, to the last person taking part in a workshop as the festival closed, this weekend has been one of conversation and celebration, joy and hope.
Tens of thousands of people experienced the best of Blackburn as exhibitions and installations were revealed throughout the town centre and festival audiences participated in everything the programme had to offer.
National Festival of Making is about collaboration and we want to thank the fantastic volunteers, artists, venues and partners for approaching the weekend with such amazing ambition and energy.
In total, more than 20 venues across the town centre were used, including Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, The Making Rooms, The Bureau Centre for the Arts, The Mall, Tony’s Empress Ballroom, Blackburn Cathedral and Cathedral Square, Blackburn Youth Zone, and the length of King William Street – all bustling with activity across both days.
Importantly, almost everything over the weekend was free to enjoy – highlighted by Chair of the Festival of Making CIC, Jamie Holman in his opening speech.
He told guests:
This is a festival for everyone – for people from all walks of life to come together to enjoy art, creativity, and new experiences and the festival team is absolutely determined that everything we can make available for free at the festival is.
“We want the festival to genuinely inspire people, and the support of our funders and the passion of the festival team makes that happen – for which I am incredibly proud.”
Visitors to the town centre had already seen a brand-new mural begin to take shape in recent weeks as excitement built for the festival – a firm fixture in the national cultural calendar.
The Art in Manufacturing piece by artist Morag Myerscough – known for her work at Coachella and the Paris Olympics – was inspired by Blackburn’s Corporation Park and was created in collaboration with Darwen-based Crown Paints.
Art in Manufacturing is the festival’s headline commissioning programme, and it was recently shortlisted for the Global Arts Prize by the Global leaders Institute for Arts Innovation.
This year’s incredible line-up also included Matter at hand, the design studio of Lewis Jones, co-founder of the Turner Prize-winning Assemble Collective in collaboration with Darwen Terracotta, and Liaqat Rasul with Herbert Parkinson (a John Lewis partner), with festival-goers marvelling at the stunning pieces on display at Blackburn Cathedral.
You can read more about Art in Manufacturing and this year’s artists by clicking this link.
The Blakey Moor building – opposite King George’s Hall – was also opened to the public for the very first time since its impressive transformation as part of wider regeneration and investment in the area.
One person to visit was special guest, architect and TV presenter, George Clarke, who was given a guided tour before his sell-out talk at Blackburn Cathedral.
There, he told the packed audience how he was ‘taken aback’ by the sheer breadth of talent on display in the town, amazed by the incredible event which attracts people from around the world.
Back to Art in Manufacturing and Blakey Moor hosted ‘Radical Pairings,’ a celebration of previous Art in Manufacturing residencies, all documented in a new essay by art critic and writer, Elizabeth Fullerton.
For those who haven’t had a chance to visit or would like a second look, all of the Art in Manufacturing works will remain on display throughout the week for visitors to enjoy:
Poured Earth
Matter at hand + Darwen Terracotta
7-12 July – 12-4pm
North Transept, Blackburn Cathedral
Umeed (Oh-meed) امید – Gobaith – Hope
Liaqat Rasul + Herbert Parkinson
7-12 July – 12-4pm
The Crypt, Blackburn Cathedral
Radical Pairings
9-12 July – 12-4pm
Blakey Moor Terrace
Another art installation opening for an extended period is:
9-12 July – 12-4pm
The Crypt, Blackburn Cathedral
Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and proud festival supporter, said:
Once again, the National Festival of Making has been a huge triumph – absolutely incredible.
How the team continues to make the event even bigger and better every single year is truly wondrous – a fantastic demonstration of partnership working, which we’re proud to be part of and for which Blackburn with Darwen is renowned.
The festival is the very best celebration of our proud heritage here in our borough, and in Lancashire – a heritage of making, with creativity at its very core.
The Art in Manufacturing programme shows just how relevant that heritage still is today – and the artworks on show this weekend were next level in terms of quality.
Importantly, the festival is also about impact: the impact on regenerating our town centres, on inspiring people – especially our young people – and on putting our borough firmly on the cultural map.
As always, we are incredibly grateful to the festival team for all they do for Blackburn with Darwen.
In another exciting collaboration, the festival – working with Art Angel and Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery – also presented ‘Come As You Really Are,’ a celebration of hobbies and hobbyists by Hetain Patel.
Thousands of visitors descended on the museum to see it, with the building packed out throughout the weekend – again with a whole host of things to see and do.
Come As You Really Are will remain open right until August 23rd. Entry to the museum – now in its 150th year – is always free and full details, including opening times, can be found at: www.blackburnmuseum.org.uk
Over the packed weekend, Blackburn College’s STEAM tent was also a huge hit, with their dancing robot and robot dog wowing the crowds, especially with their star turn with Loud & Proud: Punjabi Roots, with Bhangra dancing and Dhol drumming.
Crowds also enjoyed everything from a special performance by a Nasheed Choir to stitching and sign-writing workshops, performances at the Melodrome Stage and the hugely popular makers markets.
Impressively, there were almost 100 different events and things to do across the festival, with something new to discover around every corner, living up to a promise of ‘something for everyone.’
The National Festival of Making is proudly supported by Arts Council England, Blackburn with Darwen Council, the Brian Mercer Trust, Blackburn BID, the Granada Foundation and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Photos and videos from the jam-packed weekend will be shared on the National Festival of Making’s Facebook and Instagram accounts over the coming days and weeks – find out more at: www.festivalofmaking.co.uk
And, for a full guide to what’s on across Blackburn town centre, please visit: www.discoverblackburn.co.uk