Mid Pennine Arts

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Mid Pennine Arts

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Mid Pennine Arts We bring art, people and places together. Our projects reveal a range of possibilities for creative learning.

Our creative process combines high quality original work with the commitment to engage directly and imaginatively with our communities. A range of key projects draw meaning from and reinforce a powerful sense of place. We bring these essential elements together – a potent mix that characterises our most successful projects. Recent successes like Panopticons and Valley of Stone have demonstrated beyond doubt the power of art to transform perceptions of a locale. In 2010 we have demonstrated how creative engagement can exert profound effects on the dynamic of a whole community. For Padiham these effects are well documented. Our exemplary creative learning programme has been proven to effect dramatic, measurable improvements in overall attainment. Our work genuinely transforms perceptions. Panopticons provide a new way of looking at Pennine Lancashire. Contemporary Heritage reveals a new view of our heritage treasures. We are extending this approach across all our programmes.

29/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone that contributed to the crowd funder that brought Sir Hare home today. Marjan Wouda’s sculpture was welcomed back to Rossendale with music, stories, poems and some beautiful onion broth. Look out for him when you’re next in Rawtenstall’s town square (part of Hareholme). Rossendale Borough Council Crowdfund Lancashire Lancashire County Council

29/10/2026

Celebrations to welcome Sir Hare to Rawtenstall are just getting started.

27/10/2026

Big day in Rawtenstall today, as Sir Hare arrives to take his place in Town Square.

Do join us, artist Marjan Wouda and some special guests, on Thursday afternoon at 3pm as we give Sir Hare his ceremonial welcome back to Rossendale. All welcome!

The arrival of Marjan’s sculpture in Hareholme has been made possible by support from Lancashire County Council and all the generous contributors to the ‘Bring Back the Hare’ campaign on Crowdfund Lancashire. Thank you to all of them!

Photos and sunbeams courtesy of Sir Hare support group member, Moira Speechley.

Rossendale Borough Council Crowdfund Lancashire Lancashire County Council rossendalevalley.com

27/10/2026

If you've got children to entertain this half-term, how about a visit to the amazing Bancroft Mill Engine Museum, in Barnoldswick. It's always a fascinating place to visit, but if you go this week you can also see the exhibition by photographer Daniel Meadows looking at working in the mills 50 years ago. While the exhibition is on entry is FREE! Visit Wed-Sat, 11am-3.30pm.
British Textile Biennial

26/10/2026

Artist residency opportunities from National Festival of Making fantastic Art in Manufacturing programme...

26/10/2026

Lots of free music events in Burnley this November. See below for details...
Culture Burnley Burnley Mechanics Theatre Burnley Leisure & Culture

There's a new music festival coming to Burnley in November! Running from 4 to 21 November, the Burnley Festival of Music & Culture will feature more than 30 free events spanning indie, jazz, hip hop, post-punk, psychedelia, soul and electronic music, alongside workshops, talks and opportunities for people to get involved.

The festival is supported by an investment of approximately £30,000 from Arts Council England, alongside contributions from Burnley Leisure & Culture and Lancashire Music Association, with support from Burnley Council, Discover Burnley, Lancashire County Council, Creative Lancashire, Arts Lancashire and Lancashire Music Hub. Facilitated by the University of Lancashire and in collaboration with local partners, the festival brings together artists, venues and cultural organisations, building momentum towards

The programme will take place across Burnley's established cultural venues and community spaces, including Burnley Mechanics Theatre, the new Studio B music venue, St Peter's Church, The Landmark, Bridge Bier Huis, the Royal Dyche, Sanctuary, Penny Black, Lotus, Burnley Library, Newtown Mill and other locations throughout the town centre.

Find out more here about the programme here: http://www.burnleymusicfest.com/

16/10/2026

One week until the closing date (23rd Oct) for this Artist Commission Opportunity. MPA is supporting Burnley Borough Council to commission a second phase of murals at prominent sites in Padiham, in a project that will culminate in spring 2027. We’re looking for experienced, accomplished mural artists to add two or three further new focal points to that distinctive streetscape.
Chris Butcher's 'Up The Hill' (pictured) mural was one of two commissioned in 2024, as a final celebration of the Council’s Townscape Heritage programme of improvements. Padiham people liked their murals so much that they have been asking for more! Now, through the UK Government Pride in Place fund, we have the chance to help.
Two mural sites are being offered via open submission, and we’re looking for artists with a track record of responding to local identity with work that is bold but sensitive to place. Successful artists will work with a small group of Padiham people to help inform the design process. Visit MPA's website for full details and brief doc (see comments).
Burnley Council Culture Burnley
Photo: Melanie Diggle

13/10/2026

A shout out to remind you that you can visit the Daniel Meadows' exhibition - Shuttles, Steam and Soot - at Bancroft Mill Engine Museum this week from Weds-Sat for FREE, 11am-3.30pm. It will also be open this week on Sunday for the fabulous Steaming Sunday when both engines will be running. The entrance fee on Sunday is £8 with concessions (see the Bancroft Mill Engine Museum website for details).
British Textile Biennial

10/10/2026

We visited Lancaster Castle today to see the exhibition curated by James Fox, RISE UP! - LOCK DOWN! on display in 9 of the cells of the former Female Penitentiary. It’s part of the year of activities to mark the bicentennial of the Weavers’ Uprising. We were very pleased to see some of the work we commissioned for the 2021 British Textile Biennial featuring Maxine Peake. We were also delighted to catch Commoners Choir performing a new song written especially for the bicentennial. You can catch this beautiful and thought provoking exhibition until 16 October.
James Fox Textile Artist

Address

One Two Three, 123 St James's Street
Burnley
BB111PP

Telephone

+441282421986

Website

http://www.midpenninearts.org.uk/

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