The National Festival of Making – get involved!

The festival takes place in an area where 25% of the population still works in British making and manufacturing – and it is also a priority area for National Lottery funding.

The first of its kind in the UK, the free festival will celebrate the range, scale and skills of UK-based industries.

From Blackburn’s famous King George’s Hall to the hi-tech Making Rooms, the town will come alive with artists, designers and manufacturers passing on their skills with workshops, activities and drop-in events for all the family.

Sign up to the mailing list on the festival website and find out more on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Art in Manufacturing project

Counting influential designer Wayne Hemingway MBE among the organisers, the festival will see manufacturers large and small collaborate with new artist commissions, to be revealed as part of a two-day ‘take-over’ of the town.

And, thanks to National Lottery players, The Art in Manufacturing project, run by the Canal & River Trust and recently awarded a £50,000 HLF grant, will see nine artists collaborate with Pennine Lancashire’s most innovative manufacturers. From using clay to injection-moulded plastic, the artists will explore processes, technologies and personal memories to create contemporary works that expose a proud local manufacturing heritage.

Blackburn – a priority area for HLF

HLF has had fewer applications for funding from some places and communities in the UK, and that’s why we’ve adopted them as priority development areas. In Pennine Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale have all been highlighted as priority areas for National Lottery investment.

[quote=Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West]“We are delighted to be supporting the area's rich manufacturing heritage through our support for The National Festival of Making and the work of artists taking part in the Art in Manufacturing project.”[/quote]

We have awarded just under £12m in HLF grants to 90 projects since our development work in these areas began in 2013, but there is a lot more to do.

Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West, explains: “Pennine Lancashire is well known for its textile mills, but dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover a diverse heritage with stories of migration, brewing, shoe-making, witches and a rich pre-historic past. We are delighted to be supporting the area's rich manufacturing heritage through our support for The National Festival of Making and the work of artists taking part in the Art in Manufacturing project."

Pennine Lancashire – get inspired by recent projects

50 Years of Mid Pennine Arts - £10,000 Sharing Heritage grant

Since it was set up in 1966, Mid Pennine Arts (MPA) has amassed a huge collection of posters, photographs, videos and artwork revealing Lancashire's heritage. Thanks to enthusiastic volunteers, their amazing archive is now accessible for all.

Stanhill Village Heritage project – £32,300 Our Heritage grant

Stanhill Village, Oswaldtwistle, was home to James Hargreaves, the inventor of the Spinning Jenny. Residents explored this rich heritage in a project that recreated the machine, created a walking trail and involved local schools.

Further examples of projects include: The Rossendale Kettha, a project reviving Bangladeshi textile techniques; Making Magical Habitats, a natural heritage engagement project for children and young people from Pendle; the refurbishment of Rhyddings Park in Oswaldtwistle; and the restoration of Haworth Stables and Motor House, Hyndburn as a sustainable centre for local craftspeople.

To find out more about applying for an HLF grant, email the HLF North West Development Officer.