Manufacturers are ‘making it’

Published Thursday 2 March 2017 at 11:14

Nine artists are taking up residence with nine Pennine Lancashire manufacturers to create new artworks for The Festival of Making.

The Festival of Making, which takes place in May has co-commissioned the project called The Art in Manufacturing with partners Super Slow Way.

The companies include Darwen Terracotta and Faience based in Blackburn who have restored some of the world’s most beautiful buildings and mattress giants Silentnight based in Barnoldswick.

Sculptor at work at Darwen Terracotta

Visitors to The Festival of Making will be able to see the results of the residencies at the festival in Blackburn town centre on May 6-7.

The Art of Manufacturing, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to develop the ideas of artists in unfamiliar environments and encourage investigation into Lancashire’s manufacturing heritage

It will offer the artists an unprecedented level of access to staff, machinery, company archives and materials at the nine partnering manufacturers.

Examples, of some of the  artistic pairings include Manchester creative studio, Lazerian partners with The Cardboard Box Company on plans for a sculptural experience in Blackburn town centre using coloured cardboard.

And internationally-renowned, graphic artist duo, Grennan and Sperandio who will join with cutting-edge fabrics company, Panaz, to document employee family histories in a range of new, bespoke fabrics

Elena Gifford, Co-Director of The National Festival of Making and Creative Producer, said:

Through ‘Art In Manufacturing’ we’re creating an unprecedented link between successful, modern industrialists, the communities that surround them and big-thinking artists.

Laurie Peake, Director of Super Slow Way, said:

Few realise what exciting things are being made just around the corner from where they live, using processes from the high-tech to the hand-made, creating products that are sent around the world. Introducing artists into these environments throws a spotlight on these amazing places and makes workers themselves think differently about the work they do.

The Festival of Making, curated by designer, Wayne Hemingway MBE, is the UK’s first ever National Festival of Making.

It is a FREE family festival and is being backed by Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

For more information visit www.festivalofmaking.co.uk and sign up to the mailing list.

[

This site uses cookies. Find out more about this site’s cookies.