By Leah Conway
WOVEN in Kirklees is looking for the general public to get involved in its exciting new project called INTERWOVEN. For INTERWOVEN, Woven is seeking people to share images of their working life in local textile mills.
The project will build on a past project from the Woven in Kirklees festival in 2019, Woven into Song. The new INTERWOVEN project looks at the diverse local stories and heritage of Kirklees. Including stories of migration and evolving cultural communities which look at working life, places and music.
Local Collaboration
As part of the project, there are a team of skilled local artists. Hardeep Sahota and Mandeep Samra are Huddersfield based artists. They will work with musician Boff Whalley to create something unique and exciting for 2021’s festival. This year themes will look at Kirklees’s long textile history. It will include spoken recollections of life in the mills and sounds from the ambience of weaving sheds of Kirklees. In addition, the Huddersfield Boliyan Ensemble and Skelmanthorpe Brass Band will also contribute to this unique piece.
To accompany the unique creation for the festival, Woven is creating a visual montage. This is where WOVEN need the public’s support. The montage will be online and feature at the public festival in Huddersfield Town Centre in June.
Get Involved:
The WOVEN in Kirklees festival takes places across Kirklees and celebrates the innovation of the borough’s rich textile heritage. This year the festival will take place throughout the 5th-27th June.
Mandeep Samara said, “We are looking for photographs of life working in the mills of Kirklees and also those that reflect first-generation South Asian community events/ festivals/celebrations from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to feature in the presentation of work. INTERWOVEN is an exciting piece of work which will enable us to create something totally unique but celebrates the sound of Kirklees both in its heritage and the present. ”
Anyone with any photographs should contact Mandeep Samra by email at mandysamra@hotmail.com Deadline for submissions is Friday 16th April 2021.
“Something for us all to look forward to.”
Nat Walton, Festival Curator, said, “INTERWOVEN is just one of the many exciting projects planned for this year’s festival and we’re all looking forward to seeing the finished result either online or in person. Engaging with the local community is key to the success of the festival so this project is a unique way for people to be part of something really special for all to enjoy.”
Councillor Paul Davies, Portfolio holder for Economy and Climate, added, “Following what has been a difficult 12months, I am excited to support the plans ahead for INTERWOVEN, whether this be online or in-person as part of the WOVEN festival that will be held throughout the weekends of June 2021. There has always been a strong connection linking textiles with music and this is a chance for people of all ages to engage with the story of our rich heritage that has spanned across Kirklees for generations. This initiative provides something for us all to look forward to.”
If you want to get involved in this years WOVEN in Kirklees festival, you can send in your submissions of photographs to Mandeep Samra before Friday 16th April 2021; mandysamra@hotmail.
Other ways you can get involved include joining the Big Knit 2021. You can also share your stories about how you used embroidery and textiles to make things throughout the pandemic. To find out more, click here