Press

Spokespeople from our team can provide comment, case studies and expertise on topics including:

  • Collaboration between arts and industry
  • Creative placemaking
  • Festival production and audience development
  • Commissioning arts and cultural events within communities

For media enquiries, in the first instance, please contact Simon Webbon: simon@festivalofmaking.co.uk

Our press agency, Animo PR, can be contacted at anita@animopr.co.uk and anys@animopr.co.uk

“Blackburn, the northern town boasts a population that works in making and manufacturing at a rate twice the national average. It makes Blackburn the perfect place to host the National Festival of Making.”

– BBC Radio 4 Front Row

Selected Press

Creative Boom – National Festival of Making unveils 2025 Art in Manufacturing commissions (2025)

BBC Radio 4 World at One – Mark Lowen speaks with Wayne Hemingway (2025)

Colossal – Blackburn’s National Festival of Making Celebrates Collaborations Between Art and Industry (2025)

Material Source – A joyful explosion of colour: Crown Paints collaborates with Morag Myerscough for National Festival of Making (2025)

Mag North – The National Festival of Making (2024)

The Times – News in Pictures (2024)

BBC Radio 4 Front Row – Keanu Reeves & China Miéville, The Cultural Olympiad in Paris, Making in Blackburn (2024)

BBC News – Blackburn Taken Over by Design Festival (2023)

The Manufacturer – Leading artists and UK manufacturers unite for National Festival of Making (2023)

The Guardian – Looms with a View (2023)

People, Place, Time and Space – Laurie Peake in conversation with Elena Jackson (2020)

Verso Books – Ways in which community arts organisations have responded to the economic and social effects of Covid-19 (2020)

Tribune Magazine – Lauren Velvick reviews the Art In Manufacturing programme (2020)

Forbo Flooring – Art in Manufacturing Inspiration References with Artist Anna Ray (2019)

Lancashire Telegraph – Coverage of visit from Arts Council England Chief Executive Dr Darren Henley OBE (2019)

Lancashire Business View – Taste Lancashire Review (2019)

Waterside Creatives – Volunteer Review Blog (2019)

Northern Soul – Interview with Festival Co-Founder, Wayne Hemingway MBE (2019)

Boost Business Lancashire – Review of Festival Conference Programme (2019)

A.N – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Nicola Ellis with Ritherdon (2018)

Aesthetica Magazine – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Liz West with Graham & Brown (2018)

Asian Image – ‘The Making of a South Asian Wedding’ with commissioned artist Dawinder Bansal (2018)

Corridor8 – Festival Review (2018)

Creative Boom – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Liz West with Graham & Brown (2018)

Big Issue – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Martyn Ware (2018)

Fred Aldous Manchester – Blog Post (2018)

BBC Breakfast – Live broadcast from the National Festival of Making (2017)

Manchester Evening News – Making Taste Celebrity Kitchen in partnership with the BBC (2017)

Furniture News – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Bella May Leonard with Silent Night (2017)

National Lottery Heritage Fund – Funding News (2017)

The Guardian – Kitchen Table Makers ft. Zainab Bilal (2017)

Interior Design – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Lazarian with Cardboard Box Company (2017)

British Plastics – Review of Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Robyn Woolston with MGS Plastics (2017)

BBC Breakfast – Featuring Art in Manufacturing commissioned artist Ruth Jones with Cherry Tree Bakery (2017)

Design Week – Festival Launch Coverage (2016)

Blackburn and the county of Lancashire have pioneered textile arts for hundreds of years and this event hopes to inspire guests and continue this rich legacy.

The Western Australian

Totally joyful, free, gorgeous creativity…even we have been left awe-struck by Blackburn last weekend.

Mag North