If you want something doing…
I had been thinking for a few years about the limited opportunities for contemporary crafts in my home county of Lancashire. Don’t get me wrong there are the odd venues and galleries spread thinly but nothing to match the likes of Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Greater Manchester, Art in the Pen in Yorkshire, or even Pop-Up in the Palm House in Merseyside.
I’m not sure why this is because there is a wealth of creative talent. We all just traipse over the boarders.
So I had an inspirational power walk with some of my local creative friends (sarah buckett and Wild Botainia), and we hatched a plan.
There was a lot of blue-sky thinking, dreaming of a local arts centre hub, events, and creative movements.
We settled on a pop-up shopping experience to kick things off.
Our local council (Chorley & South Ribble) was extra supportive by giving us an amazing venue for free and promoting the event on their digital platforms.
Housed in the Astley Park Coach House, Astley Pop-Up was born.
From Saturday the 13th to the 21st of June, we will be showcasing the work of 19 independent makers/ businesses.